Nyad, Diana (1949–)

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Nyad, Diana (1949–)

American marathon swimmer. Born Aug 22, 1949, in New York City; studied at Lake Forest College and New York University.

Became the 1st person to swim Lake Ontario from north to south; set record for the fastest swim around the island of Manhattan at 7 hours and 57 minutes (1975); completed the longest open-water swim in history, 102.5 miles (1979); was the world's top female distance swimmer (1969–77). Inducted into Women's Sports Foundation International Sports Hall of Fame (1986).

See also memoir Other Shores (1978); and Women in World History.