A Turkish woman's 14-hour struggle in icy water

World champion in ice swimming, Deniz Kayadelen, successfully crossed the shark-infested Catalina Channel near Los Angeles yesterday, completing the 14-hour 49-minute journey. The accomplished athlete stated, "As a woman inspired by Atatürk, I will continue to represent Turkish women worldwide."

Deniz Kayadelen, the fifth Turkish woman to swim across the English Channel, a five-time world champion in ice swimming, and holder of numerous accolades, finished the challenging route starting from Catalina Island near Los Angeles, near Long Beach. Describing her arduous adventure swimming amidst sharks, Deniz recounted, "Greetings from Los Angeles. Yes, I crossed the Catalina Channel. I swam for 8 hours in challenging conditions, through shark-infested waters in the darkness of night, totaling 14 hours. It was a mental battle, but I persevered and succeeded. As a member of Ataspor Club named after Atatürk, and as a woman representing his values, I will continue to represent Turkish women worldwide. Next month, I will swim in Manhattan, New York."

Highlighting her swims for charity campaigns to keep oceans clean, Deniz Kayadelen emphasized, "I swim not only to showcase the strength of Turkish women but also for charitable causes, for clean waters. I send my love and respect to all Turkish people. Thank you very much for your support."