Alexandra Nazarova has made history by becoming the first Russian woman to swim 100 kilometers in open water, completing the feat in 19 hours and 34 minutes during the Grand Swim marathon held in St. Petersburg. The course stretched across a combination of lake, river, and sea, making the achievement all the more formidable, according to marathon organizers.
"Nazarova is now the fastest swimmer ever to complete the 100-km Grand Swim route," organizers announced.
The previous best time in the same category—solo swim in a wetsuit—was held by Denis Portnoy, who finished in nearly 21 hours during the 2022 edition. The record for completing the swim without a wetsuit (in swim briefs) belongs to Ruslan Farkhutdinov, who clocked in just under 27 hours in 2023.
The accomplishment places Nazarova among an elite group of ultra-endurance swimmers worldwide. While her time is unmatched in Russian history, the absolute world record for the longest nonstop solo swim remains with Slovenian swimmer Martin Strel, who swam more than 504 kilometers in 84 hours in 2001, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
Nazarova's achievement is being hailed as a milestone in Russian sports, particularly in open water swimming, which demands extreme stamina, mental fortitude, and resilience against unpredictable natural conditions.
