Otto Thaning Completes A Hearty Swim From Robben Island
On Sunday, Dr. Otto Thaning became the oldest person, at the age of 72, to complete a Robben Island crossing. His time of 2 hours 19 minutes across the 7 km expanse of cold water from Robben Island to Blouberg Beach was faster than his 2007 time of 2 hours 37 minutes at the age of 66.As a heart surgeon, his cardiovascular system seems as healthy as ever. “My swimming interest has always been a passion shared with my involvement in heart surgery. I was fortunate to have been trained by Chris Barnard.“
Besides training for two Oceans Seven swims – the English Channel in 10 hours 29 minutes at the age of 53 years in 1994 and the Strait of Gibraltar in 4 hours at the age of 63 years in 2004 – Dr. Thaning has done the Robben Island crossing several times and worked in the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town. Dr. Barnard performed the world’s first successful human-to-human heart transplant in 1967.
Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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