A young man from Newry is striving to be the youngest participant to accomplish the Irish Triple Crown challenge in swimming. 17-year-old Daniel Smyth, an A-Level student, has already made history as the youngest solo swimmer to carry out the North Channel crossing from Northern Ireland to Scotland.
The teenager achieved a triumphant Galway Bay swim earlier this month and is now setting his sights on completing the Fastnet swim in County Cork, one of the three milestones comprising the Irish Triple Crown.
Swimming became a crucial focus for Daniel as a means to improve his water polo game, but he was soon enthralled by long-distance swimming. One of his notable achievements was his participation in the youngest squad to swim the North Channel, a distance of around 35km, from Donaghadee in County Down to Portpatrick in Scotland last September. Following this, he became the youngest solo swimmer to complete the same course, taking 12 hours and 26 minutes to do so in July.
Daniel recently completed the 10.5km Galway Bay swim within two hours and thirty-one minutes on the 30th of August and is anticipating tackling Fastnet, a swim that covers a distance of 20.5km from Fastnet Rock and Baltimore Pier in County Cork during the current month.
Even though numerous channel swimmers often grapple with the sting of jellyfish, Daniel reported a smooth escape during his solo swim to Scotland, citing dealing with the currents as a more demanding task. He highlighted the experience of battling a current for three hours while reaching Scotland.
Daniel recalled that upon landing, two Scottish campers greeted him and questioned if he began his journey from Portpatrick, as he landed at a distance of a few kilometers from it. His response was simple but impactful; his journey started in Ireland.
Post the swim, his celebration involved relishing a burger and milkshake. An appreciative video message was also received from Daniel Wiffen, a swimming Olympic gold medallist which added to his delight.
“So presently my attention is on the Triple Crown, and I’m also concentrating on my A-levels which I’m told are quite vital,” he expressed. “Afterwards, there’s university, and I’ll face whatever additional hurdles arise. If any venture seems intriguing, I’m likely to attempt it.”
Daniel’s mum, Elena, commended his grown-up ability to tackle a challenge that many often encounter later in life.
“He’s an exceptionally friendly individual and long-distance swimming is a rather solitary sport, but he appears to possess the mental strength to handle it. It’s always perplexing to us how he manages to persevere.” – PA