Swimming the Nile

[HEPZIBAH]

It is generally not considered a good idea to swim in the Nile these days, although many people do. In 1956 a 29 mile competition to swim the Nile took place. I'm not sure if this was a regular competition or a one of. The ladies winner was Brenda Fisher, possibly more known for setting the record in 1951 for swimming the English Channel. The male winner for the Nile swim was an Egyptian, Abdel Heif.

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Does anyone know any more about this competition? Was it held more than this occasion? Where were the start and end points? I'd be interested in knowing more about this as although I have known of Brenda Fisher all my life - you could not live in Grimsby, learn to swim and not hear of her,- and yet today is the first time I've heard of this Nile swim.

[HEPZIBAH]

I've been trying to find out more about this competition. So far I've discovered that it was last swum in 1960.
It would seem that Abdel Heif, full name Abdel Latif Abu Heif, otherwise known as 'Crocodile of the Nile' was as well known in Egypt as Brenda Fisher was (is) in the UK.

For more information:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... f-abu-heif

[Dusak]

Don't know about the competition, but this year in Ramadan, as in every Ramadan when many hundreds swim in the Nile, there were nine deaths by drownings, one young lad never found. Its strictly a no no, swimming in these dangerous waters, but, as is usual, no enforcement, no notice taken of the perils.