(CNN) -- An American cancer survivor has become the first person to swim across the English Channel four times nonstop. Thomas would take breaks every 30 to 60 minutes while swimming to refuel with protein drinks and her favorite snack, M&Ms, according to Eddie Spelling, the captain of Thomas’s escort vessel, Anastasia. The inspiring story of Andrea Mason who attempts to become the worlds first person to Swim 34km across the English Channel, Cycle 900km across France to the foot of Mt Blanc and then climb Mt Blanc, all in just 5days. He acquired his ability to swim in the River Severn at Coalbrookdale. [citation needed], Whilst serving as second mate on the Cunard Line ship Russia, travelling from New York to Liverpool, Webb attempted to rescue a man overboard by diving into the sea in the mid-Atlantic. "I've been waiting for this swim for over two years now and have fought so hard to get here," wrote Sara Thomas on Facebook before setting off. A brand of matches was named after him. A boat equipped with GPS systems and several computers accompanied Thomas throughout her journey, monitoring wind, tides and currents. He wrote a book called The Art of Swimming[9] and licensed his name for merchandising such as commemorative pottery. “America should be proud. Prior to Champlain, she scheduled this fall’s English Channel swim (Thomas says the wait list for an official Channel swim is often two years). [18] Webb House of the Adams' Grammar School in Newport, Shropshire, is named after Webb. A crew that included her mother, husband and several swimmers who joined her at points during her journey, cheered her on and ensured she stayed nourished during the trip. On 24 August, he began a second swim by diving in from the Admiralty Pier at Dover. Edward Temme, a London insurance clerk, was the first man to swim across the … Mihir Sen. Mihir Sen was a famous long distance swimmer, best known for being the first Indian to conquer the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 1958 and the only man to earn the distinction of swimming the Oceans of the five continents in one calendar year (1966). An 11 year old boy swam across the English Channel in 1988, in under 12 hours. Originally the swim was projected to span 84 miles, but strong tides resulted in a total length of 130 miles, taking Thomas 54 hours. He died trying to swim the Whirlpool Rapids below Niagara Falls, a feat declared impossible. With Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, Billy Boyd, Sean McGinley. Victory M&Ms! Before her diagnosis, Thomas swam long distances and as soon as her health allowed she got back into the water. "I'm really just pretty numb. For the English footballer, see, List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, List of successful English Channel swimmers, "Hollingworth Lake – a 200-year story of glory and tragedy", "Heroes of swimming: Captain Matthew Webb", "How The Channel First Was Swum. Not much is known about his … The fastest time was achieved by Bulgarian swimmer Peter Stoychev in 2007, who managed it in 7 hours. In 1875, Webb swam from Dover to Calais in less than 22 hours. [4], On 12 August 1875, Webb made his first cross-Channel swimming attempt, but strong winds and poor sea conditions forced him to abandon the swim. Fifty-four hours and a few minutes later, the breast cancer survivor from Colorado had accomplished a remarkable feat, becoming the first person to … [16], Webb has a statue in Dover,[17] and a memorial plaque with his portrait was also unveiled in the parish church at Coalbrookdale. Only five men had ever swum the waterway before. The character in the episode did, however, resemble Matthew Webb. Thirty-seven-year-old American open-water marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas just became the first person in the world to do this, swimming across the English Channel four times nonstop. An American breast cancer survivor on Tuesday became the first person to swim across the English Channel four times non-stop in a 54-hour feat of endurance. No Trace Of His Body Found by the Anxious Searchers", "Monument to Captain Matthew Webb (1848–1883)", Public Monuments and Sculpture Association, "Captain Matthew Webb – the first Person to swim the Channel", "Shropshire's Captain Matthew Webb Named As Unsung Hero", "Landmarks, Monuments, Memorials Of Open Water Swimmers", Two images from the Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont. Captain Webb – Channel Swimmer. Webb was born at Dawley, Telford, in Shropshire, one of twelve children of a Coalbrookdale doctor. While four swimmers previously crossed the Channel three times without stopping, Thomas is the first to do it four times, the Guardian reports. [5] Despite stings from jellyfish[6] and strong currents off Cap Gris Nez which prevented him from reaching the shore for five hours,[7] finally, after approximately 21 hours and 40 minutes,[5] he landed near Calais—the first successful cross-channel swim. "[14] The memorial was taken away for repair after a lorry collided with it in February 2009. She completed her fourth lap of the channel 54 hours and 13 minutes later on Tuesday morning, after 133 miles of swimming. • Elderwick, David (1987). Just one year after beating cancer, 37-year-old American swimmer Sarah Thomas made history by becoming the first person to swim across the English Channel four times non-stop. The exhausted swimmer lay down on the pebbled beach after coming out of the water, and was then handed some M&Ms and a glass of bubbly. Matthew Webb became the first person to swim across the English Channel without assistance. Rachel Elbaum is a London-based editor, producer and writer. LONDON — An American cancer survivor has become the first person to swim the English Channel, which separates England and France, four times nonstop. LONDON — An American cancer survivor has become the first person to swim the English Channel, which separates England and France, four times nonstop. The English Channel has become a popular challenge for swimmer over the years. [5][8], After his record swim, Webb basked in national and international adulation, and followed a career as a professional swimmer. But I'm the best that I can be right now, with what I've been through, with more fire and fight than ever," she wrote in her Facebook post dedicating this swim to "all the survivors out there.". “She’s very tired and rightly so,” said Spelling in a phone interview with NBC News not long after Thomas completed her last lap. In 1875, Matthew Webb became the first known person to swim the English Channel, crossing it in just under 22 hours. [22], This article is about the Channel-swimmer. Thomas, who lives in Colorado, was diagnosed with breast cancer less than two years ago and underwent treatment in the months that followed. CNN — An American cancer survivor has become the first person to swim across the English Channel four times non-stop. As a result, Webb took another manager. This made him a celebrity, and he performed many stunts in public. Sarah Thomas set off from Dover just past midnight on Sunday. American open water marathon swimmer Sarah Thomas just became the first person to swim across the English Channel four times, nonstop. The landmark memorial was returned after full restoration and was hoisted back onto its plinth in High Street in October 2009. The man was never found, but Webb's daring won him an award of £100 and the first Stanhope Medal, and made him a hero of the British press. Long-distance swimming was not new to her; she had been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. In 2004, over 600 people were recorded making the crossing. It’s the best thing that I’ve ever seen.”. IE 11 is not supported. American cancer survivor becomes the first person to swim the English Channel four times nonstop. She was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in five events. It was August 6, 1926, the day that an American, Gertrude Ederle, was poised to become the first woman to swim the English Channel. It was set to music by Jim Parker and was recorded by folk singer John Kirkpatrick. The first attempt to swim the Channel The first recorded attempt to swim the Channel was in 1872 by a man called J B Johnson. [6], On 27 April 1880, Webb married Madeline Kate Chaddock, and they had two children, Matthew and Helen. [12] Webb was interred in Oakwood Cemetery, Niagara Falls, New York. Documentary film maker Jon Washer, who is making a film about Thomas' journey, posted a photo on Twitter of the swimmer catching her breath on the beach after emerging from the water. [10], Webb's final stunt was to be a dangerous swim through the Whirlpool Rapids on the Niagara River below Niagara Falls, a feat many observers considered suicidal. Webb's picture on boxes of Bryant and May matches is said to have inspired the physical appearance of the Inspector Clouseau character portrayed originally in the Pink Panther films by Peter Sellers. She’d set her sights on becoming the first person to swim across it four consecutive times. He was stung by jellyfish during his crossing. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Webb completed ‘nearly six miles’ (10 km), but the poor public interest meant that Beckwith lost money. Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Sarah Thomas is the first person ever to swim the English Channel four times non-stop, swimming from England to France and back twice in 54 hours. The Channel can do a lot of crazy things and for this to happen, we're going to need some luck,” wrote Thomas on Facebook on Saturday before setting off. Swimming the Channel even once is no easy feat. The first woman to do this was Gertrude Ederle. Sarah Thomas, a 37-year-old from Colorado who completed treatment for breast cancer a year ago, just became the first person to swim across the English Channel four times in a row. Captain Matthew Webb (19 January 1848 – 24 July 1883) was the first recorded person to swim the English Channel for sport without the use of artificial aids. Masudur Rahman Baidya became a worldwide phenomenon after crossing the English Channel as the first double amputee. An episode of Peabody's Improbable History (a segment of Rocky and Bullwinkle) misidentified him in dialogue and the episode's title as "Captain Matthew Cleft". [19], John Betjeman's poem "A Shropshire Lad" (1940) commemorates the death of Webb, portraying his ghost swimming back along the canal to Dawley. B. Johnson to swim the English Channel. This undated photo shows Thomas swimming the English Channel. [2], In the summer of 1863, while at home, Webb rescued his 12-year-old brother Thomas from drowning in the Severn near Ironbridge. The first person to swim solo across the English Channel was Captain Matthew Webb, in 1875. Even experienced swimmers train long and hard to make the trip across the cold, busy shipping lane with strong currents. (CNN) — An American cancer survivor has become the first person to swim across the English Channel four times non-stop. Accounts of the time indicate that in all likelihood Webb successfully survived the first part of the swim, but died in the section of the river located near the entrance to the whirlpool. #sarahthomas #englishchannel x4 pic.twitter.com/myppMjVPbn, "I just can't believe we did it,” Thomas told the BBC after she landed. The Coloradan cancer survivor has become the first person to swim across the English Channel four times in a row. ), Bust of Captain Matthew Webb on Dover Seafront, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Matthew_Webb&oldid=993121471, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 8 December 2020, at 22:17. 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