In this captivating podcast episode, Duncan and Jim sit down with Phillip Rush, a remarkable New Zealand swimmer. Phillip’s aquatic journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Let’s dive into the highlights of his life:

Background and Achievements:

• His claim to fame lies in conquering the English Channel in both two and three-way swims. In 1987, he achieved the world record for the fastest three-way swim, completing the grueling challenge in an impressive 28 hours and 21 minutes (with the two-way segment taking just 16 hours and 10 minutes).
• Phillip’s aquatic prowess extends beyond the English Channel:
  • He has swum the English Channel a total of 10 times.
  • The Cook Strait in New Zealand has witnessed his strokes 8 times, including a remarkable Double Crossing (completed on March 13, 1984, in 16 hours and 16 minutes, and repeated on February 9, 1988, in 18 hours and 37 minutes).
  • Notably, he became the first person to achieve a double crossing of New Zealand’s Lake Taupō (a 40.2 km swim) in January 1985, setting a time record of 10 hours and 14 minutes.
• Life Beyond Swimming:
  • After retiring from competitive swimming in 1990, Phillip Rush transitioned into coaching.
  • His passion now lies in supporting and guiding swimmers embarking on solo swims around New Zealand.

Phillip Rush’s story is one of resilience, determination, and a deep love for the water. His legacy continues as he inspires the next generation of open-water swimmers. 🏊‍♂️🌊

In this episode we (well mainly Duncan) talk to Shamima. Shamima is the mother of Shazeel, a swimmer with autism and reduced mental capacity.
We hear what water means to Shazeel and how it has always calmed him down, and the challenges of teaching him how to swim.
Shazeel & Duncan have swum together for 4 years now, training swims, short (2km) races all the way up to a 20km chopper challenge swim.
Shamima tells us what it is like to see her son swim off when she is on-shore and Duncan gives us some stories about what swimming with Shazeel is like.
Sarah O'Dywer was, and is, a key part of Shazeels swimming journey and may be able to help other disabled swimmers. Her email address is sarah.007@windowslive.com

In this episode Duncan & Jim talk to Ryan Stramrood from his home in South Africa.
Ryan has done some amazing swimming in cold water. He has swum in the Arctic and the Antarctic as well as doing 140 Robben Island crossings. Robben Island was famously where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for many years.
Ryan has written a book called 'Push Past Impossible' where he challenges people to go beyond their own 'impossible'.
This was a great chat and he has some wonderful stories to tell.

Web: https://ryanstramrood.com/
Instagram: @Ryan_stramrood
Book: Push past impossible