*Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore
Diana Nyad
Record-Breaking Endurance Athlete and Sports Journalist
For ten years (1969-1979), Diana Nyad was known as the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. In 1979, she stroked the then-longest swim in history, making the 102.5-mile journey from the island of Bimini (Bahamas) to Florida. She also broke numerous world records, including what had been a 50-year mark for circling Manhattan Island, setting the new time of 7 hrs 57 min. She is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame. At age 60, having not swum a stroke in decades, she began planning for her white whale of distance swims: the 110-mile ocean crossing between Cuba and Florida. At the age of 64, in her fifth and final attempt, Diana Nyad successfully fulfilled her lifelong dream of completing the 110-mile swim. Nyad has been involved with a number of charitable causes including overcoming obesity, child abuse, sexual abuse, and hurricane Sandy relief.
At the age of 64, in her fifth and final attempt, Diana Nyad successfully fulfilled her lifelong dream of completing the 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida on September 2, 2013. Upon completing her grueling 53-hour journey, a breathless Nyad told the world, “I have three messages. One is we should never ever give up. Two is you are never too old to chase your dreams. And three is it looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team.”
Nyad has never been one to quit. In July of 2010, at the age of 60, she began her “Xtreme Dream” quest of swimming from Cuba to Florida, a task she had failed to finish thirty years previously. When asked her motivation, she replied, “Because I’d like to prove to the other 60-year-olds that it is never too late to start your dreams.” Nyad was unsuccessful in her quest in 2010 and tried two more times 2011 and 2012 before completing the historic swim in 2013.
Back in the 1970’s, Nyad was the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. Her world records, such as circling Manhattan Island and crossing the 102.5 miles between the Bahamas and Florida, have led to inductions to many Halls of Fame, such as the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Nyad became a prominent sports broadcaster, filing compelling reports for NPR, ABC’s Wide World of Sports, Fox Sports, and The New York Times. She has written three books and speaks French and Spanish fluently. Nyad has also earned the reputation of a uniquely passionate and entertaining public speaker, earning standing ovations with a broad spectrum of audiences.
Diana’s memoir Find a Way: One Wild and Precious Life, which released in October 2015. She recently debuted the one-woman show, Onward! The Diana Nyad Story, in Los Angeles and Key West. Directed and adapted by Joshua Ravetch, who helped shape Carrie Fisher’s show Wishful Drinking, Onward! has received praise among the theatre community.
Nyad has been involved with a number of charitable causes including overcoming obesity, child abuse, sexual abuse, and hurricane Sandy relief.
Nyad has never been one to quit. In July of 2010, at the age of 60, she began her “Xtreme Dream” quest of swimming from Cuba to Florida, a task she had failed to finish thirty years previously. When asked her motivation, she replied, “Because I’d like to prove to the other 60-year-olds that it is never too late to start your dreams.” Nyad was unsuccessful in her quest in 2010 and tried two more times 2011 and 2012 before completing the historic swim in 2013.
Back in the 1970’s, Nyad was the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world. Her world records, such as circling Manhattan Island and crossing the 102.5 miles between the Bahamas and Florida, have led to inductions to many Halls of Fame, such as the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Nyad became a prominent sports broadcaster, filing compelling reports for NPR, ABC’s Wide World of Sports, Fox Sports, and The New York Times. She has written three books and speaks French and Spanish fluently. Nyad has also earned the reputation of a uniquely passionate and entertaining public speaker, earning standing ovations with a broad spectrum of audiences.
Diana’s memoir Find a Way: One Wild and Precious Life, which released in October 2015. She recently debuted the one-woman show, Onward! The Diana Nyad Story, in Los Angeles and Key West. Directed and adapted by Joshua Ravetch, who helped shape Carrie Fisher’s show Wishful Drinking, Onward! has received praise among the theatre community.
Nyad has been involved with a number of charitable causes including overcoming obesity, child abuse, sexual abuse, and hurricane Sandy relief.
Topics:
- Dare to Dream
- Find a Way: The Inspiring Story of One Woman’s Pursuit of a Lifelong Dream
- Never Give Up
Looking for a speaker? Let us help you.
All fields are required.