Greek Paralympic champion sets world record, swimming 149 km from Paphos to Ayia Napa

The support team of Greek Paralympic champion Charalampos Taiganidis announced a new world record for continuous open-water swimming. The athlete completed a distance of 149 kilometers from Paphos to Ayia Napa — confirmed by GPS trackers on escort vessels and officially recorded by the World Open Sea Sailing Federation (WOSA).

On 2 November, the final stage of the swim was particularly challenging: strong winds picked up early in the morning, soon reaching a speed of 12 m/s, and the waves intensified. Taiganidis had to swim against the headwind, battling harsh sea conditions.

The finish was recorded when he boarded the support vessel — he was 4.5 kilometers short of the planned finish point, but safety and health were prioritized. After landing at the port of Larnaca, Charalampos was taken by ambulance to the city's central hospital for a precautionary examination.

Thus, the Greek swimmer has brought Cyprus another Guinness World Record.