View source for Javier Mérida Prieto

[[File:Javier Mérida Prieto.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Javier Mérida Prieto, an amputee and endurance athlete from Spain]] 
[[File:2016-WOWSA-AWARDS-675x169.png|400px|right|thumb|Javier Mérida Prieto's achievement of the [[Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming]] was nominated for the 2016 [[WOWSA Awards]], a recognition of outstanding men, women, performances and offerings around the globe sponsored by the [[World Open Water Swimming Association]] in the category of the [[World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year]]]]Javier Mérida Prieto is a 49-year-old disabled Spanish [[open water swimmer]] who became the first disabled person to complete the [[Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming]] and has completed three [[Oceans Seven]] channels.

==Open Water Swimming Highlights==

*On 18 June 2022, he completed the 25 km [[Batalla de Rande]] from [[Isla Cíes]] to [[Isla de San Simón]], Spain in 7 hours 54 minutes 35 seconds, finishing 5th among 26 swimmers at the age of 49. 
*On 25 September 2013, he completed a 33.5 km [[crossing]] of the [[English Channel]] from England to France in 14 hours 40 minutes.
*On 14 June 2014, he completed the 45.9 km [[Manhattan Island Marathon Swim]] around [[Manhattan Island]] in New York City in 8 hours 13 minutes 11 seconds. 
*On 14 July 2016, he completed a 32.3 km [[crossing]] of the [[Catalina Channel]] from [[Santa Catalina Island]] to the [[Palos Verdes Peninsula]] in [[Southern California]] in 11 hours 41 minutes 1 second to achieve the [[Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming]].
*He completed a 14.4 km [[crossing]] of the [[Strait of Gibraltar]] from Spain to Morocco in 2011.
*His achievement of the [[Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming]] was nominated for the 2016 [[WOWSA Awards]], a recognition of outstanding men, women, performances and offerings around the globe sponsored by the [[World Open Water Swimming Association]] in the category of the [[World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year]]

==2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year nomination==

''Javier Mérida Prieto can kick, but just not with his right foot or calf, both which he does not have. With his 11 hour 40 minute crossing of the Catalina Channel this summer and previous swims around Manhattan Island and across the English Channel, Mérida became the first amputee to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. Besides competing in triathlons and marathon runs, Mérida completes and competes in a variety of endurance events including marathon swims around the world, all while raising money and awareness for charitable causes. For raising funds for various organizations including the Asociación de Familiares de Alzheimer, for enthusiastically raising awareness for his like-minded causes, for successfully taking upon a number of difficult events of stamina, Javier Mérida Prieto's Catalina Channel crossing to complete the first amputee Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming is a worthy nominee for the 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year.''

==2017 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men==

Prieto was named to the [[World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men]] in 2017 (alphabetized by last name) by the [[World Open Water Swimming Association]]:

1. Dr. [[Doron Amosi]], extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel<br/>
2. [[Antonio Argüelles Díaz-González]], channel swimmer and endurance athlete from Mexico<br/>
3. Cyril Baldock, marathon/channel swimmer from Australia<br/>
4. [[Ram Barkai]], administrator, event organizer and ice swimmer from South Africa<br/>
5. [[John Batchelder]], butterflying marathon swimmer from USA<br/>
6. [[Nejib Belhedi]], marathon/stage/boat pull swimmer from Tunisia<br/>
7. [[Alexander Brylin]], channel ice swimmer from Russia<br/>
8. [[Luc Chetboun]], extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel<br/>
9. [[Salvatore Cimmino]], amputee advocate and marathon/extreme swimmer from Italy<br/>
10. [[Jean Craven]], marathon/extreme swimmer from South Africa<br/>
11. [[Ned Denison]], IMSHOF administrator and marathon/ice swimmer from Ireland<br/>
12. [[Craig Dietz]], disabled open water swimmer from USA<br/>
13. [[Ben Enosh]], extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel/USA<br/>
14. [[Udi Erell]], extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel<br/>
15. [[Stephen Junk]], channel swimmer from Australia<br/>
16. [[Henri Kaarma]], event organizer and ice swimmer from Estonia<br/>
17. [[Ger Kennedy]], ice, underwater and extreme swimmer from Ireland<br/>
18. [[Craig Lenning]], marathon/channel/ice swimmer from the USA<br/>
19. [[Neil Macaskill]], extreme/cross-border swimmer from South Africa<br/>
20. [[Pádraig Mallon]], escort pilot, event organizer and marathon/channel/ice swimmer from Ireland<br/>
21. [[Ingemar Patiño Macarine]], channel/marathon swimmer from the Philippines<br/>
22. [[Andrew Malinak]], administrator and cold water/marathon/channel swimmer from the USA<br/>
23. [[Chris Marthinusen]], extreme/high-altitude swimmer from South Africa<br/>
24. [[Patrick McKnight]], marathon/channel swimmer from the USA<br/>
25. [[Allan McLeland]], Peak and Pond swimmer/climber from the USA<br/>
26. [[Darren Miller]], channel swimmer and event director from the USA<br/>
27. [[Rohan More]], marathon/channel swimmer from India<br/>
28. [[Gullupilli Narhari]], extreme relay swimmer from India<br/>
29. [[Matías Ola]], event organizer and ice/extreme swimmer from Argentina<br/>
30. [[Kieron Palframan]], ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa<br/>
31. [[James Pittar]], blind marathon/channel swimmer from Australia<br/>
32. Javier Mérida Prieto, disabled Triple Crown swimmer from Spain<br/>
33. [[Lewis Pugh]] OIG, ocean advocate and ice/extreme swimmer from the UK<br/>
34. [[Oded Rahav]], extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel<br/>
35. [[Stephen Redmond]], channel/marathon swimmer from Ireland<br/>
36. [[Adrian Sarchet]], marathon/channel swimmer from Guernsey<br/>
37. [[Ori Sela]], extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel<br/>
38. [[Dan Simonelli]], coach/guide/observer and marathon/channel swimmer from the USA<br/>
39. [[Paramvir Singh]], extreme relay swimmer from India<br/>
40. [[Albert Sobirov]], ice swimmer from Russia<br/>
41. [[Petar Stoychev]], marathon/channel/ice/Olympic swimmer from Bulgaria<br/>
42. [[Ryan Stramrood]], ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa<br/>
43. [[Martin Strel]], marathon/stage swimmer from Slovenia<br/>
44. [[Dr. Otto Thaning]], channel/marathon swimmer from South Africa<br/>
45. [[Jacques Tuset]], prison island swimmer from France<br/>
46. [[Toks Viviers]], ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa<br/>
47. [[Adam Walker]], coach, event organizer, and channel swimmer from England<br/>
48. [[Christof Wandratsch]], event organizer and ice/marathon/channel/professional swimmer from Germany<br/>
49. [[Brenton Williams]], event organizer and butterfly ocean swimmer from South Africa<br/>
50. [[Herman van der Westhuizen]], extreme high-altitude swimmer from South Africa<br/>

==External links==

* [https://openwaterswimming.com/2017/01/sarah-thomas-lake-powell-marathon-is/ Sarah Thomas' Lake Powell Marathon Is 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance Of The Year]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2017/06/worlds-50-most-adventurous-open-water.html 2017 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men]
* [http://www.javiermerida.com/ Javier Mérida]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2016/07/javier-merida-prieto-completes-first.html Javier Mérida Prieto Completes First Disabled Triple Crown]
* [http://www.triplecrownofopenwaterswimming.com Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming]
* [http://www.wowsa.org World Open Water Swimming]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2016/11/2016-wowsa-awards-nominees.html 2016 WOWSA Awards Nominees]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2016/11/2016-world-open-water-swimming-man-of.html 2016 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Nominees]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2016/11/2016-world-open-water-swimming-woman-of.html 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Nominees]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2016/11/2016-world-open-water-swimming.html 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year Nominees]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2016/11/2016-world-open-water-swimming-offering.html 2016 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year Nominees]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2017/02/javier-merida-prieto-to-cross-beagle.html Javier Mérida Prieto To Cross The Beagle Channel]
* [http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2018/11/able-bodied-in-open-water.html Able-Bodied In The Open Water]
* [http://www.openwaterswimming.com Open Water Swimming]
* [http://www.marathonswimming.com Marathon Swimming]

[[Category:People]]