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Australian Chloe McCardel in Cuba to US swim attempt Chloe McCardel ends Cuba-US swim after jellyfish sting
(about 4 hours later)
Australian endurance swimmer Chloe McCardel, 29, is continuing her attempt to become the first person to swim from Havana to Florida without a cage to protect her from shark attacks. A jellyfish sting has ended Australian endurance swimmer Chloe McCardel's attempt to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a protective shark cage.
She called the 166km (103-mile) swim "the hardest in the world today", with sharks just one of the dangers, along with exposure and jellyfish. The "debilitating" sting forced her to abandon the 166km (103-mile) swim after 11 hours, her support team said.
Ms McCardel said she expected to complete the swim in about 60 hours. It added that the athlete would need 24 hours to recuperate from the severe injury.
She said she hoped her challenge would encourage US-Cuban friendship. Ms McCardel earlier described the swim as "the hardest in the world today".
'Analysing mistakes' She had hoped to complete the distance in about 60 hours.
She jumped into the water from Havana's Marina Hemingway at 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT). 'Tough night'
She covered about 19km by late afternoon, her support team reported later. Ms McCardel's team said on Wednesday evening that she had been taken to one of her support vessels and was sailing toward Key West.
Ms McCardel is being monitored by coaches and doctors from onboard boats. Her failed try comes almost a year after American swimmer Diana Nyad also had to abandon her fourth attempt at the same feat.
She will pause regularly to have energy drinks, but is not planning to get onto any of the boats during these brief breaks. The 62-year-old was pulled from the water after she had been stung repeatedly in the face by jellyfish and was buffeted by strong waves and currents.
Ms McCardel's attempt comes almost a year after 62-year-old American swimmer Diana Nyad had to abandon her fourth attempt at the same feat. "It's a tough night for Chloe McCardel, a superior swimmer and an exemplary spirit," Ms Nyad wrote in a post on her Facebook page.
Ms Nyad was pulled from the water after she was stung repeatedly in the face by jellyfish and was buffeted by strong waves and currents. "I send Chloe congratulations for her many months of training and her courageous foray into those dangerous waters."
Ms McCardel jumped into the water from Havana's Marina Hemingway at 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT).
The athlete from Melbourne had covered about 19km by late afternoon, being monitored by coaches and doctors from onboard boats.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Ms McCardel said she had been training for this particular swim for six months, and had spent a lot of time "analysing the reasons and mistakes" which had prevented other swimmers from completing it.Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Ms McCardel said she had been training for this particular swim for six months, and had spent a lot of time "analysing the reasons and mistakes" which had prevented other swimmers from completing it.