Diana Nyad American author, journalist, motivational speaker and record-breaking swimmer Date of Birth: 22.08.1949 Country: USA

1. Biography of Diana Nyad
2. Early Life and Swimming Career
3. Later Life and Achievements
4. Record-Breaking Swim

Biography of Diana Nyad

Diana Nyad is an American writer, journalist, motivational speaker, and long-distance swimmer. She was born on August 22, 1949, in New York City to William Sneed, a stockbroker, and his wife Lucy Curtis. When Diana was three years old, her father passed away, and her mother remarried Aristotle Nyad, a Greek developer who adopted Diana and gave her his surname. Interestingly, Diana's surname sounds the same as "naiad," a mermaid in Greek mythology.

Early Life and Swimming Career

Diana's family relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she began serious swimming training in the seventh grade. She attended Pine Crest School, a private school, and trained under coach Jack Nelson, who represented the United States at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Diana won three Florida State high school championships in the 100 and 200 yards and dreamt of participating in the 1968 Olympics. However, in 1966, she spent three months bedridden with endocarditis, inflammation of the heart's inner lining. After recovering, Diana found that she had lost significant speed.

After graduating from high school in 1967, Diana enrolled at Emory University but was expelled for parachuting out of a dormitory window. She then became a student at Lake Forest College in Illinois, where she played tennis for the university team and resumed swimming, focusing on long-distance swimming rather than speed. Diana caught the attention of Buck Dawson, the director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Florida, who introduced her to marathon swimming. She trained at his camp, "Camp Ak-O-Mak" in Canada, and in her first race on Lake Ontario in July 1970, she set a women's world record of 4 hours and 22 minutes for a 16 km swim.

Later Life and Achievements

After graduating from college in 1973 with a degree in English and French, Diana returned to South Florida and continued training under Dawson. In 1986, she was inducted into the United States National Women's Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2003, she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Diana is an openly lesbian woman and has published three books. She regularly contributes to publications such as the New York Times and Newsweek magazine.

In 2006, Diana co-founded the company "BravaBody" with her best friend Bonnie Stoll. The company develops online exercise courses for women over 40. Additionally, since 2006, Diana has been a motivational speaker.

Record-Breaking Swim

In 1978, at the age of 28, Diana made her first attempt to swim across the ocean from Cuba to Florida. She spent nearly 42 hours in the water before doctors terminated the swim. During that attempt, she swam in a cage measuring 6x12 meters. Diana made subsequent attempts in 2010, 2011, and 2012 but only succeeded in August 2013.

At the age of 64, Diana began her successful swim on August 31, 2013, from Havana to Key West, Florida. This time, she swam without a cage but wore a special suit and silicone mask to protect herself from jellyfish stings. After spending nearly 53 hours in the water, Diana emerged from the ocean and collapsed into the arms of her team on the beach in Key West. Despite sustaining minor injuries from the silicone mask, she fulfilled her lifelong dream. However, who knows, perhaps Diana is already setting new goals for herself?