Courtesy of Vasanti Niemz, Cook Strait, New Zealand.
Abhejali Bernardová is a runner-turned-swimmer and member of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team from Zlin, Czech Republic. She became the 10th person in history to complete the Oceans Seven channels.
In addition to achieving the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, five International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmens, and completing a number of 6-day, 24-hour, and 100 km runs, the 40-year-old completed a swim across the 23 km Cook Straittoday to become the first person from the Czech Republic to swim across seven iconic channels around the world.
Her endurance sports career has spanned the globe and includes:
* 2009: 4-person English Channel relay
* 2010: International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmen in Switzerland in 8 hours 28 minutes
* 2011: International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmen in 8 hours 54 minutes
* 2011: English Channel in 14 hours 37 minutes
* 2012: Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York in 8 hours 28 minutes
* 2013: International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmen in 9 hours 21 minutes
* 2013: Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco in 4 hours 35 minutes
* 2014: International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmen in 8 hours 57 minutes
* 2014: Sri Chinmoy Golden Jubilee English Channel relay in 16 hours 34 minutes
* 2015: International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmen in 8 hours 37 minutes
* 2015: Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to the California mainland in 9 hours 46 minutes
* 2016: Robben Island to Bloubergstrand in Cape Town, South Africa in 2 hours 35 minutes
* 2016: Tsugaru Channel from Honshu to Hokkaido in Japan in 11 hours 7 minutes
* 2017: Molokai Channel from Molokai Island to Oahu in Hawaii in 21 hours 52 minutes
* 2017: North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland in 10 hours 23 minutes
* 2018: Cook Strait in New Zealand
The runner-organizer of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run started on the North Island around 8 am and finished on the South Island over 13 hours later (time and additional details to follow). Vasanti Niemz and escort crew member Harita Daviessaid, “There were swells and she faced seasickness and strong currents that were quite a challenge. Her swim as only a few days after cyclone Gita passed through the Strait.”
Bernardová joins the following channel swimming luminaries in the Oceans Seven club:
1. Stephen Redmond (Ireland)
2. Anna-Carin Nordin (Sweden)
3. Michelle Macy (USA)
4. Darren Miller (USA)
5. Adam Walker (UK)
6. Kimberley Chambers (New Zealand)
7. Antonio Argüelles (Mexico)
8. Ion Lazarenco Tiron (Moldavia/Ireland)
9. Rohan Dattatrey More (India)
10. Abhejali Bernardová (Czech Republic)
article on World Open Water Swimming Association (archiv)