Ana Marcela Cunha has once again made history in open water swimming.

The Olympic champion completed the crossing of the English Channel, swimming from Dover, England, to Calais, France, and became the South American record holder among both men and women in the course.

The Brazilian completed the challenge in 8 hours, 25 minutes, and 29 seconds. In total, Ana Marcela completed the 42.9 km route, as the strong currents and waves make swimming non-linear.

With this time, Ana surpassed the previous South American records held by Adherbal de Oliveira (8 hours and 49 minutes, in 2015) and Ana Mesquita (9 hours and 40 minutes, in 1993). The swim is also the fastest in the world among both men and women since 2022. In a women’s-only category, Ana Marcela achieved the fastest time in the world since 1999.

More than just a sporting achievement, the crossing represented the fulfillment of a personal dream for Ana Marcela, who described the English Channel as the “Everest” of open water swimming.