64-year-old endurance swimmer Diana Nyad became the first person to swim the treacherous waters from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage on Monday, and gave the message of never giving up while chasing dreams to enthusiasts.
According to Fox News, Nyad also expressed that although the sport looked like a solitary one, it was actually a team, and she had swollen lips after completing the feat.
She had unsuccessfully tried to swim the Florida Strait four times, mostly recently in 2012, the report said.
Nyad's previous failed attempt ended amid boat trouble, storms, unfavorable currents and jellyfish stings that left her face significantly swollen but in her latest attempt, Nyad wore a full bodysuit, gloves, booties and a mask at night, when jellyfish rise to the surface, the report added.
Nyad first rose to national prominence in 1975 when she swam the 28 miles around the island of Manhattan in just under eight hours and four years later, she swam the 102 miles from North Bimini, Bahamas, to Juno Beach, in 27.5 hours, the report further said.
Nyad is also an author of three books, a motivational speaker and has been a reporter and commentator for NPR, according to the report.