29-year old Australian Chloe McCardel has been readmitted to a hospital to continue deal with the effects of jelly-fish stings suffered during her record-breaking 128 kilometer swim across the Bahamas earlier this week.
McCardel received 15 jellyfish times during the 42.5-hour continuous swim. A recent explosion of jellyfish populations worldwide has become a bigger-and-bigger impediment to swims like McCardel’s; Diana Nyad, in her swim from Cuba to Florida, wore a special mask to protect her face from jellyfish. McCardel, however, swam in just a standard suit, and so was exposed.
According to a post on her Facebook page on Friday evening, signed by her husband Paul, some of those stings became sunburned on the second day of the swim and have gotten infected. McCardel is expected to be hospitalized for 3-4 nights.
A quick update- Paul here on Chloe’s behalf. She has been readmitted to Hospital today- and is expected to be in there for 3-4 nights. Chloe got stung close to 15 times on night 1 of the swim and a large number of those stings got sunburn on day 2. Despite treatment post swim a number of these stings have become infected and are weeping. Chloe is in a lot of pain but still on a very positive mental high from the swim and everyone’s amazing support
People need to check their record and history books. Susie Maroney of Australia
still remains the greatest marathon swimmer of them all and holds the longest
open water swim recorded with her swims around Cuba.
Kevin. Ms Maroney’s feats, while still impressive, were done with shark cages if I recall. Doesn’t make the endurance part of swimming for 40+ hours an easier, however, it does create somewhat of its own current, and helps protect the swimmers from jellyfish, which is the biggest threat to swims of these length.
Phenomenal effort from such a lovely person. Only met you once, when you invited me to swim in the lane you were in. You left a very positive impression. Wishing you a speedy recovery. You are an inspiration. 🙂
Wishing the best in her recovery!