Mexican Swimmer David Olvera Smashes Manhattan Island Record
Mexican open-water swimmer David Olvera has made history by swimming around Manhattan Island in just 5 hours, 34 minutes, and 58 seconds — an unofficial world record that shaves nearly seven minutes off the previous best.
The 31-year-old athlete from Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí, completed the grueling 48.5-kilometer (30.1-mile) “20 Bridges” swim early Thursday morning, according to New York Open Water, the nonprofit organization that oversees and supports open-water events around Manhattan.
“Massive congrats to David Olvera 🇲🇽, who powered through the night to set a new 20 Bridges record!” the group shared on Facebook. “David crushed the previous mark of 5:41:48, finishing in an unofficial 5:34:58. What a fast and phenomenal swim!”
The “20 Bridges” swim gets its name from the number of bridges athletes pass beneath as they circle Manhattan. For those who dare to go twice around, it’s known as the “40 Bridges” swim.
Social media quickly lit up with excitement over Olvera’s accomplishment. Facebook user Alex Arevalo celebrated the moment, writing, “Now both the 20B and 40B records reside in México!”
That’s right — the double circumnavigation record is also held by a Mexican. Jaime Lomelín Gavaldón, at age 60, completed the “Fastest double circumnavigation swim around Manhattan Island” in 19 hours, 25 minutes, and 1 second back in July 2023, a feat officially certified by Guinness World Records.
David Olvera’s new time edges out the previous 20 Bridges record set by the U.K.’s Andrew Donaldson in September 2024. While Olvera’s time hasn’t been officially verified by Guinness just yet, New York Open Water president Rondi Davies said she fully expects it will be accepted and published soon.
Donaldson himself took to Facebook to praise Olvera’s achievement, calling it “a thrilling one to follow” and “blisteringly quick.”
“Huge congrats David and your team on an outstanding performance,” Donaldson wrote. “A truly inspiring swim.”
The Manhattan circumnavigation is widely considered one of the toughest urban open water swims in the world, with frigid waters and unpredictable currents putting athletes to the test.
To prepare, Olvera trained with 14-hour continuous pool swims and 10-hour sessions against river currents in the Huasteca Potosina region of Mexico — an area renowned for its jungle landscapes, turquoise waterfalls, and rugged canyons. That preparation clearly paid off.
Now, all eyes are on Guinness to make it official. But record or not, Olvera’s incredible swim has already secured him a spot in open-water swimming history.
