Long-distance Kiwi swimmer Kim Chambers has been congratulated for a huge achievement on the massive Times Square billboard in New York.
Last week, 38 year old Chambers became the first woman to swim the 50km distance from the Farallon Islands off the United States’ west coast to Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
It took Chambers 17 hours in the cold, shark-infested waters to complete the feat. She endured hundreds of jellyfish stings along the way.
Her achievement was shown on the iconic Times Square Billboard in New York, which showed a picture of her beneath the bridge.
“Congratulations Kim Chambers,” it said. “World record breaking swim. Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge.”
Four men have completed the swim in the past. The stretch of water is well known for great white sharks as they are attracted to elephant seals on islands off the San Francisco coast.
Chambers was a ballerina but took up swimming to rehabilitate from an accident in which she nearly lost a leg.
