57-year-old Chen Suwei from Dongguan successfully swam across the Strait of Gibraltar—the "world's most challenging swim course"—in 3 hours and 51 minutes.
Just now!
Dongguan's 57-year-old swimmer, Chen Suwei
Clashing with cold fronts and towering waves
3 smallSwam across the "World's Most Challenging Swim Lane" at 5:11 am
Strait of Gibraltar
At 2 p.m. local time on May 9 in Spain, the towering waves of the Strait of Gibraltar showcased Dongguan's city spirit—daring to lead the way, boldly forging ahead, and relentlessly striving for success.At 57 years old, Dongguan's renowned swimmer Chen Suwei crossed the Strait of Gibraltar—considered "the world's toughest swimming channel"—in a remarkable time of 3 hours and 51 minutes, making him one of only a handful of global athletes to achieve this incredible feat.This is not only another peak moment in his personal swimming career but also another vivid demonstration of Dongguan’s city spirit.
That morning, Chen Suwei set off from the coast of Tarifa, Spain, braving the frigid waters to embark on this incredibly challenging crossing. The Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, is notorious for its unpredictable currents, sudden drops in water temperature, and heavy shipping traffic—especially its infamous "cold front zone," which has already forced many daredevils to abandon their attempts. According to official statistics, since the strait was first successfully crossed by humans in 1928, fewer than a thousand people worldwide have managed to complete the feat.
Facing this sea region brimming with the unknown and danger, Chen Suwei demonstrated the distinctive spirit of Dongguan residents—daring to lead the way and persevering relentlessly. During the crossing, Chen Suwei encountered severe challenges posed by strong winds, towering waves, and complex ocean currents. Yet, relying on his extensive experience and unwavering determination, he skillfully adjusted his swimming technique and course time and again, steadily overcoming each crisis as he steadily made his way toward the opposite shore.Ultimately, they successfully landed on the coast of Tangier, Morocco, nearly 2 hours ahead of schedule.
Photo of Chen Suwei's team (fourth from the right)
This marks another remarkable addition to Chen Suwei’s illustrious swimming career, following his successful crossings of some of the world’s most challenging waterways—including the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, the Molokai Channel, the North Channel, and Cook Strait.He has also demonstrated through his actions, vividly conveying to the world the profound essence of the Chinese sporting spirit, fully highlighting Dongguan’s rich heritage as the “Home of Swimming,” and powerfully showcasing the city’s thriving sports scene and its vibrant, spirited urban character. Especially at this critical juncture, marked by profound shifts in the global landscape, his efforts have further invigorated national pride and rallied collective determination to move forward with renewed vigor.
This challenge event is guided by the Dongguan Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism, and Sports, organized by the Dongguan Swimming Association, and supported by Gaobu Town, the hometown of Chen Suwei. To ensure the event is conducted safely, smoothly, and spectacularly, the Dongguan Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism, and Sports has established a dedicated cross-departmental task force to oversee all aspects of logistical and safety preparations. The task force has not only actively coordinated with foreign-related institutions such as the Spanish Embassy and Consulates in China but has also leveraged resources from local leading enterprises like Dongguan Bank and Marco Polo Group. Additionally, it has collaborated closely with relevant government departments to create a robust coordination mechanism, providing comprehensive professional support and safeguarding measures for the successful execution of the event.
As the highlight of Dongguan's "Welcoming the 15th National Games" series of events, this challenge is themed "Welcoming the 15th National Games: Dongguan Swims Forward." It specially invites the official mascots of the 15th Games, "Xi Yangyang" and "Le Rongrong," to serve as cheerleaders, showcasing Dongguan's vibrant sports spirit and urban energy to the world. We warmly invite friends from around the globe to join us this autumn in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao for the thrilling 15th National Games!
Chen Suwei, born in 1968 in Lingwu Village, Gaobu, entered the Beijing Sport University’s amateur sports school at the age of 11. In 1984, at just 16 years old, Chen Suwei "skipped the provincial team" and was directly selected for the national swimming team. He went on to win the Asian Swimming Championships twice and claim two silver medals at the Asian Games. Since 2014, he has claimed several prestigious titles, including the National Yellow River Challenge Championship, the Yangtze River Crossing Challenge Championship, and the Liu Gongdao Challenge Championship.
Crossing experience
On June 15, 2016, he completed the crossing of the Qiongzhou Strait in 6 hours and 9 minutes, setting the fastest-ever time for a south-to-north crossing of the strait at that time.
On August 3, 2018, he completed the historic swim across the English Channel in a time of 11 hours and 8 minutes, becoming the third Chinese person to achieve this remarkable feat. He was also the oldest participant in the challenge—and the fastest Chinese challenger yet.
On October 18, 2018, I successfully swam across the Catalina Channel in 11 hours and 35 minutes.
On July 14, 2019, after a grueling 7 hours and 3 minutes, he successfully completed the Loop Around Manhattan Island swim, earning the prestigious title of "One of the World's Three Great Crowns." He became the first Chinese athlete to achieve the remarkable feat of winning all three consecutive challenges in this extreme swimming endeavor.
On October 23, 2022, the Molokai Channel was successfully conquered in a time of 14 hours and 2 minutes.
On August 24, 2023, the English Channel was successfully crossed in a time of 11 hours and 35 minutes.
On February 21, 2024, I successfully swam across New Zealand's Cook Strait in 9 hours and 47 minutes.
On May 9, 2025, successfully swam across the Strait of Gibraltar in Spain.
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