Swimmer Merle Liivand has set a new record for the farthest swim while wearing a monofin. Now, she hopes her accomplishment can shine a light on a more pressing issue: ocean plastic pollution.
Liivand, originally of Estonia, completed the historic 26.22-mile swim off the coast of Miami Beach in just 11 hours and 54 minutes on May 7, according to the Guinness World Records.
“Swimming with the monofin without using my arms is similar to how dolphins and marine animals swim,” the professional swimmer told the record-keeping organization. “They have a fin and can’t use any arms.”
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Claudio Molina/Guinness World Records
Liivand set the previous record for farthest swim with a monofin on three separate occasions — beginning in 2019 with a 6.2 mile swim off Redondo Beach, Calif., according to the organization, She set a new record in 2020 with a 12.8 mile swim off South Point Park Pier in Miami, and again on April 17, 2021 with a swim of 18.6 miles near Miami Beach.
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Claudio Molina/Guinness World Records
Records aside, the former Baltic champion, who moved to Florida 11 years ago, uses her big swims to help fight against marine pollution.
“I was born with auto-immune health problems, and I started swimming because my lungs collapsed,” Liivand told the organization. “Today, my intention is to fight for Mother Earth’s lungs.”
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So during her swim last month, the marine conservationist picked up various pieces of trash from the water and threw it into the kayak paddling alongside her.
Claudio Molina/Guinness World Records
In addition to getting “mad” over seeing trash in the water, Liivand is also upset about how plastics and microplastics are impacting the lives of marine animals.
“At the end of the day this isn’t just about a record,” Liivand told Guinness. “It’s about helping the community and the world.”
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Moving forward, Liivand hopes more people will pay attention to the growing plastic pollution problem impacting the Earth’s oceans.
Claudio Molina/Guinness World Records
“Humans should take a moment to understand that we need to use less plastic or make sure that we clean up any trash on the ground,” she said.
“We need to make sure that we’re all healthy,” the swimmer added. “Healthy humans mean a healthy planet.”
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