Paralympic Théo Curin
Quadruple amputee swimmer crosses Lake Titicaca in eleven days
The swimmer Théo Curin upon his arrival on the other bank of Lake Titicaca
© Carlos MAMANI / AFP
The French Théo Curin covered 122 kilometers through the ice-cold and very high water of Lake Titicaca in South America. What is special: the 21-year-old is arm and leg amputee. It took him eleven days to cross.
An arm and leg amputee from France successfully covered the 122 kilometers from one bank of the South American Lake Titicaca to the other. The 21-year-old Théo Curin arrived on Saturday (local time) in the Uru Islands on the Peruvian shores of the huge lake, as the AFP news agency reported. He started his adventure on November 10th on the lakeshore in the Bolivian village of Copacabana.
Curin was overjoyed on his arrival on the other bank. “That’s a lot of emotions,” he said. “There are a lot of people here on the beach, of course I didn’t expect that.” Moved to tears, he said in front of reporters: “I didn’t think it would be so difficult for eleven days. Sometimes I thought we were going to die, but we are here, the people are here, we made it. Honestly said thank you everyone because that is what it means to make your dreams come true. “
Action should raise awareness of pollution
Curin had both arms and both legs amputated at the age of six as a result of severe meningitis. The disabled athlete is two-time vice world champion in swimming and finished fourth in the 200-meter freestyle competition at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
He was accompanied by 39-year-old ex-swimmer Malia Metella and 27-year-old environmental activist Matthieu Witvoet on his crossing through the ice-cold Lake Titicaca, which is around 3800 meters high. The three French had trained for more than a year in Lake Matemale in the Pyrenees. “Without them I wouldn’t have made it. Thanks to both of you. We made it,” said Curin.
Curin and his companions took turns swimming, pulling a boat made of rubbish behind them. They used this to sleep and eat. With the sensational campaign, the three athletes said they wanted to draw attention to environmental pollution.
Further source: Euronews