Marathon Swimmer Survives 34-Mile Swim Through Crocodile-Infested River, Joking 'I Still Have All My Limbs'

35-year-old Andy Donaldson completed the challenge in under 12 hours

NEED TO KNOW

• A marathon swimmer has broken a world record by swimming more than 34 miles through crocodile-infested rivers
• Andy Donaldson, 35, completed the route along the Ord River in remote Australia in just under 12 hours, beating the previous record by over four hours
• He said he didn’t see any crocodiles during the challenge — the river is home to 5,500 of the reptiles — but did struggle with heat and dehydration

A British-Australian marathon swimmer has broken a world record by swimming more than 34 miles through crocodile-infested river in under 12 hours.

Andy Donaldson, 35, began swimming 34 miles up the Ord River just after 5:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, April 29, the Australian Associated Press and ABC Australia reported.

He was sharing the river, which lies in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia, with an estimated 5,500 crocodiles. But Donaldson was able to make it north from the Lake Argyle Dam wall to the Diversion Dam in Kununurra in 11 hours and 51 minutes, beating the previous record by over four hours.

He told AAP he was feeling good after the challenge, and said he didn't actually see any crocodiles.

"I still have all my limbs," he joked. "I didn't see a single one, other than the Crocs that my coach was wearing on his feet. I don't know whether to feel relieved or disappointed."

As well as crocodiles, Donaldson also had to contend with fast currents and extreme heat on his swim. "I felt like I was carrying an elephant on my back," he told AAP.

"Mentally, I was fatigued, physically, I was fatigued. I'd been sweating for over 10 hours, and I think I was quite dehydrated, so my muscles were starting to cramp really hard."

He added that, while he was in pain, he "could have kept going" if necessary. "The mind always gives up before the body does," he explained.

Simone Blaser, who became the first person to complete the Ord River ultra swim two years ago in 16 hours and 13 minutes, was there to support him and they even swam a stretch of the route together.

The challenge wasn't Donaldson's first record-breaking swim, however. The Scotland-born swimmer also holds records for the fastest swim across the Cook Strait, between New Zealand's North and South Islands, and the fastest relay circumnavigation of Bahrain as part of a team.

He also previously held the record for the fastest time to complete the Oceans Seven challenge, which consists of seven open water channel swims across the world, per the BBC, as well as the one for the fastest circumnavigation of Manhattan.

He said that he wasn't sure what his next challenge was going to be, and explained that he wanted to have a rest and take stock before looking forward.

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"It's important to celebrate the achievement, lift up the people that have helped make it possible, and just reflect on the learnings from it before moving on," Donaldson told the AAP.

PEOPLE has reached out to Donaldson for further comment.

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