site.btaBulgarian Swimmer Tsanko Tsankov Completes 24-Hour Continuous Swim in Danube River
Bulgarian endurance swimmer Tsanko Tsankov successfully completed a remarkable 24-hour, individual, continuous swim in the waters of the Danube, finishing in Oryahovo to a cheering crowd Sunday. The official time recorded was 24 hours, 30 minutes, and 8 seconds, and the achievement was confirmed by Velislav Tsekov, head of the judges commission of the Bulgarian Swimming Federation.
Tsankov swam without a wetsuit or any support equipment, pushing his limits throughout the marathon. His manager, Nikolay Iliev, said the swimmer faced several critical moments overnight due to the narrowing of the river and the persistent cold. “Almost the entire time, he was suffering from hypothermia,” Iliev explained. “He had not fully recovered from a previous long-distance swim in Northern Ireland, and the first signs of hypothermia appeared just after Vidin (on the Danube). He swam for nearly 19 hours under these conditions.”
Despite the extreme physical challenges, Tsankov said he felt happy and fulfilled. “I experienced critical episodes of severe fatigue,” he admitted. “During those difficult moments, I imagined myself walking in my hometown with my family—it helped me keep going.”
Tsankov, a world champion and record holder in ice swimming who has completed five of the world’s seven toughest open-water marathons, began his swim near the Bononia Estate winery in the village of Koshava, Vidin Municipality, on Saturday. He covered about 135 kilometers to the town of Oryahovo.
/MY/
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