Stepping onto the Florida shore after a grueling 110-mile swim, American long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad shared three key takeaways. First, that nothing is truly impossible. Second, that it is never too late to chase your dreams. And third, that while some challenges can be faced alone, the support of a team is invaluable. Read more on newyorka.
Nyad finally realized her lifelong dream of swimming from Cuba to Florida at the age of 64, on her fifth attempt. She first tried when she was 28 but failed. Three decades later, almost no one believed she could do it—but she managed to assemble a dedicated team of “daredevils” and accomplish the seemingly impossible.
Early Life and the Great Dream
Diana was born on August 22, 1949, in New York City. Her mother was Lucy Winslow Curtis, and her father was William L. Sneed, Jr., a stockbroker. Her parents divorced in 1952.
Her mother remarried Aristotle Z. Nyad, who adopted Diana and gave her his surname. Later, it was revealed that he had multiple aliases and was also known as Aris Notaras, who had legal troubles and was even convicted of smuggling. Despite this, Diana kept the Nyad surname, the name she would take into history. As an adult, she loved to recall how her father would tell her she was a “naiad”—a water nymph capable of conquering any body of water.
She began swimming in a school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where the family had relocated from New York. By the coast, her father would tell her stories about Cuba—a magical island where anything was possible. “Imagine, you could swim all the way there!” These words planted the seed for a great dream.
Education and Swimming in Diana Nyad’s Life
In the 1960s, Diana enrolled at Pine Crest private school, where she began training in swimming under Jack Nelson. Nelson was an Olympic coach and a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. During this time, Diana won two Florida state championships in the 100-yard backstroke.
However, Nyad later recalled that the coach had sexually abused her, and other girls, starting when she was 14. She and another victim reported him to the school principal, but Nelson was not punished. He later resigned voluntarily.
After graduating high school, Nyad attended Emory University. She was expelled after parachuting out of a dormitory window. Following this, Diana enrolled at Lake Forest College in Illinois and returned to swimming.
Diana showed remarkable results in the sport. Her ambition was to compete in the 1968 Summer Olympics, but two years prior, she contracted endocarditis. Upon returning to training, she found she could no longer swim at her previous speeds. Undeterred, she switched her focus to marathon swimming, training under Buck Dawson, director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. She trained at Camp Ak-O-Mak, a girls’ camp in Magnetawan. In the summer of 1970, she set a new women’s world record in a 10-mile race in Lake Ontario.
In 1973, Nyad graduated college with degrees in English and French. She went on to pursue a doctoral program in comparative literature at New York University while simultaneously launching her career as a professional marathon swimmer.
A Swimming Career Takes Off
Following her first world record in Lake Ontario, Diana Nyad set many more. In 1974, she completed a 22-mile swim in the Bay of Naples in 8 hours and 11 minutes. The swimmer became widely known the following year when she swam around Manhattan Island in 7 hours and 57 minutes. This beat the previous world record by 59 minutes.
Nyad’s next outstanding achievement was conquering 102 miles from Bimini, Bahamas, to Juno Beach, Florida, in 27 hours and 30 minutes. This occurred on her 30th birthday. Aided by favorable currents, the swimmer maintained a speed of approximately 3.7 miles per hour, setting a continuous swimming distance record for both men and women.
This swim marked the end of her competitive professional career, but at that point, Nyad had not yet fulfilled her biggest dream. She was determined to be the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a protective shark cage. Her first attempt in 1978 covered 68 miles, but she was forced to stop due to strong winds. Three subsequent attempts also failed. It seemed like this was the end, given her retirement from competitive swimming. But it was only a semicolon.
Cuba to Florida: The Dream and the Record
By the time Diana Nyad turned 60, the Florida Strait had been documented as swum twice. Walter Poenisch did it in 1978, and Susie Maroney in 1997. Both attempts involved the use of a shark cage for protection. Poenisch also wore fins and rested on the accompanying vessel several times.
Diana Nyad decided to do it without fins or a cage. Instead, she chose to wear a jellyfish protection suit and use electronic shark-repellent devices. Her coach was athlete Bonnie Stoll. Together, the women assembled the necessary support team for the swim.
The swimmer trained extensively to achieve the required physical fitness. However, the first swim ended in failure. Nyad didn’t give up; she analyzed her mistakes and tried again. Four attempts did not succeed, but finally, in 2013, the 64-year-old athlete completed the distance from Cuba to Florida. Her 110-mile swim started in Havana. For over 53 hours, she battled jellyfish and sharks, fought strong winds, nausea, and muscle fatigue, and ultimately became the first person to complete the swim unassisted.
The achievement was initially recognized by the Guinness World Records, but critics quickly emerged, and the certification was later rescinded. The World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) refused to ratify it due to the absence of sports observers, incomplete observation logs, conflicting crew reports, and a delay in providing documentation.
In a 2023 interview with “The Los Angeles Times,” Diana Nyad stated that she was certain all necessary evidence had been provided. At the time, she was not concerned by the criticism and still does not feel she needs to prove the fact or honesty of her completed swim to anyone. Evan Morrison, co-founder of the Marathon Swimmers Federation, also believes there is no evidence of cheating and that, according to prevailing standards, the swimmer accomplished the Cuba-to-Florida swim with “assisted” support.
Despite all the controversies, Diana Nyad has become a national hero and a symbol that a dream can be achieved at any age, even if everyone else deems it impossible. In 2023, the film “Nyad,” based on her memoir “Find a Way,” was released, telling the story of her legendary swim and life.
Diana Nyad’s Personal Life
Diana Nyad is openly a lesbian. The swimmer has spoken frequently about her sexual orientation in interviews and does not conceal it. Furthermore, she has been and remains quite candid about the sexual abuse she endured as a teenager. Nyad has spoken publicly about the trauma and believes that this experience became the foundation for her stubbornness and determination.
After retiring from her professional sports career, the swimmer authored four books and wrote articles for various publications. Additionally, Nyad hosted the public radio program “The Savvy Traveler,” co-contributed to public radio shows “All Things Considered” and “Marketplace,” and participated in the CBS television show “News Sunday Morning” and “Dancing with the Stars.”