Javier Mérida Prieto
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.
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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
2. Antonio Argüelles Díaz-González, channel swimmer and endurance athlete from Mexico
3. Cyril Baldock, marathon/channel swimmer from Australia
4. Ram Barkai, administrator, event organizer and ice swimmer from South Africa
5. John Batchelder, butterflying marathon swimmer from USA
6. Nejib Belhedi, marathon/stage/boat pull swimmer from Tunisia
7. Alexander Brylin, channel ice swimmer from Russia
8. Luc Chetboun, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
9. Salvatore Cimmino, amputee advocate and marathon/extreme swimmer from Italy
10. Jean Craven, marathon/extreme swimmer from South Africa
11. Ned Denison, IMSHOF administrator and marathon/ice swimmer from Ireland
12. Craig Dietz, disabled open water swimmer from USA
13. Ben Enosh, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel/USA
14. Udi Erell, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
15. Stephen Junk, channel swimmer from Australia
16. Henri Kaarma, event organizer and ice swimmer from Estonia
17. Ger Kennedy, ice, underwater and extreme swimmer from Ireland
18. Craig Lenning, marathon/channel/ice swimmer from the USA
19. Neil Macaskill, extreme/cross-border swimmer from South Africa
20. Pádraig Mallon, escort pilot, event organizer and marathon/channel/ice swimmer from Ireland
21. Ingemar Patiño Macarine, channel/marathon swimmer from the Philippines
22. Andrew Malinak, administrator and cold water/marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
23. Chris Marthinusen, extreme/high-altitude swimmer from South Africa
24. Patrick McKnight, marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
25. Allan McLeland, Peak and Pond swimmer/climber from the USA
26. Darren Miller, channel swimmer and event director from the USA
27. Rohan More, marathon/channel swimmer from India
28. Gullupilli Narhari, extreme relay swimmer from India
29. Matías Ola, event organizer and ice/extreme swimmer from Argentina
30. Kieron Palframan, ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa
31. James Pittar, blind marathon/channel swimmer from Australia
32. Javier Mérida Prieto, disabled Triple Crown swimmer from Spain
33. Lewis Pugh OIG, ocean advocate and ice/extreme swimmer from the UK
34. Oded Rahav, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
35. Stephen Redmond, channel/marathon swimmer from Ireland
36. Adrian Sarchet, marathon/channel swimmer from Guernsey
37. Ori Sela, extreme relay/cross-border swimmer from Israel
38. Dan Simonelli, coach/guide/observer and marathon/channel swimmer from the USA
39. Paramvir Singh, extreme relay swimmer from India
40. Albert Sobirov, ice swimmer from Russia
41. Petar Stoychev, marathon/channel/ice/Olympic swimmer from Bulgaria
42. Ryan Stramrood, ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa
43. Martin Strel, marathon/stage swimmer from Slovenia
44. Dr. Otto Thaning, channel/marathon swimmer from South Africa
45. Jacques Tuset, prison island swimmer from France
46. Toks Viviers, ice/extreme swimmer from South Africa
47. Adam Walker, coach, event organizer, and channel swimmer from England
48. Christof Wandratsch, event organizer and ice/marathon/channel/professional swimmer from Germany
49. Brenton Williams, event organizer and butterfly ocean swimmer from South Africa
50. Herman van der Westhuizen, extreme high-altitude swimmer from South Africa
External links
- Sarah Thomas' Lake Powell Marathon Is 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance Of The Year
- 2017 World's 50 Most Adventurous Open Water Men
- Javier Mérida
- Javier Mérida Prieto Completes First Disabled Triple Crown
- Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming
- World Open Water Swimming
- 2016 WOWSA Awards Nominees
- 2016 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Nominees
- 2016 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Nominees
- 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year Nominees
- 2016 World Open Water Swimming Offering of the Year Nominees
- Javier Mérida Prieto To Cross The Beagle Channel
- Able-Bodied In The Open Water
- Open Water Swimming
- Marathon Swimming
