Mariam Saleh Bin Laden
From Openwaterpedia
Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen will attempt a 170 km four-person circumnavigation swim relay around Bahrain with Fatema Al Mahmeed, Andy Donaldson, and Abdulla Attiya
Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen opening the Dr. Mariam’s Dental Center in Jordan
Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen is a Saudi Arabian open water swimmer, dentist, and humanitarian who has devoted her life in support of Syrian refugees. In December 2016, Dr. Mariam inaugurated the Dr. Mariam’s Dental Center at the IMC Hospital site in Al Azraq Refugee camp in Jordan that is home to over 55,000 refugees.
Open Water Swimming Highlights
- On 15 September 2026, she pioneered an unprecedented 18.3 crossing from Alimos (Kalamaki) in Athens to Fleves Island in Greece in 5 hours 16 minutes. Her support team included observer Christos Papapostolou, photographer Petros Parthenis, medical support Dr. Stelios, and escort pilot Tassos and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer Attila Mányoki as a support crew and pace swimmer.
- She completed the 14.5 km Cannes Open Water Swim Project (Antibes–Cannes Open Water Crossing) a sea swim from Port Gallice (next to Hôtel Belles Rives), pass the Fourmigue Lighthouse and Lérins Islands, to the finish at La Croisette Beach in Cannes, France. The unprecedented 5 hour 18 minute swim was observed by Stéphane Lecat and advised by Mohamed Marouf on 3 August 2026.
- On 23 April 2025, she completed a 170 km four-person circumnavigation swim relay around Bahrain with Fatema Al Mahmeed, Andy Donaldson, and Abdulla Attiya in 59 hours 59 minutes 6.52 seconds. They each swam 3-hour legs, rotating from start at 4:00 am to finish at Sofitel, Zallaq. Their handlers include Jay Prchal, Eric Watson, and Volodymyr Tkachenko.
- On 13 February 2025, she completed the 25 km World Islands Swim together with Andy Donaldson of Scotland. Their tandem swim was a clockwise circumnavigation swim around the World Islands that took them 10 hours 41 minutes 23 seconds.
- On 26 December 2024, she completed a 22 km open water swim from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain in 11 hours 25 minutes 47 seconds.
- She, Mostafa Said of Egypt, and Andy Donaldson of Scotland are planning a multi-stage swim from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 2025.
- She participated in the Epic Swim Maui with John Clark, Andrew Donaldson of Scotland, Barbara Hernandez of Chile, Prabhat Koli of India, Nathalie Pohl of Germany, Jonathan Ridler of New Zealand, Yvette Dickson Tetteh of Ghana, Sarah Thomas of the USA, and Mostafa Zaki of Egypt. This unprecedented expeditionary swim is a 12-day 300 km circumnavigation swim around the island of Maui in Hawaii, a celebration of the Hawaiian culture and a call to action for ocean health that starts on 7 July 2024.
- She participated in the 2015 Hellespont Open Water Competition in Turkey from Europe to Asia.
- Between 3-12 June 2016, she become the first female and third person in recent history to swim the 162.5 km (101-mile) length of the River Thames in 10 days in the United Kingdom in the hopes that she inspires more women to take part in athletics. She has done a lot of humanitarian work as well, such as creating the Dr Mariam Dental Clinic in Jordan’s Al Azraq refugee camp, making it the first facility in the region to provide free dental care.
- On 13 September 2016, she completed a 33.5 km assisted swim across the English Channel from Samphire Hoe in Dover to Cap Gris Nez in Calais, France in 11 hours 41 minutes. The swim was featured in a documentary called ‘I am Mariam Binladen’ that premiered in December 2016. Her crossing was ratified by the Channel Crossing Association (CCA) which permits swimmers to wear wetsuits and receive assistance to ensure a safe crossing.
- On 10 March 2017, she became the first Arab woman to complete a 24 km crossing of the Dubai Creek and the Dubai Water Canal in Dubai, UAE in less than 9 hours.
- In October 2022, she participated in the first day of the 15-day Red Sea Swim, a cross-border stage swim with Lewis Pugh.
I am Mariam Binladen
External links
- Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen Pioneers An Unprecedented Crossing in Greece
- Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen Pioneers Antibes-Cannes Crossing
- Round and Round They Swim - Circumnavigation Swims in History
- What Did Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen, Andy Donaldson, Fatema Al Mahmeed, and Abdulla Attiya Experience Around Bahrain?
- Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen, Andy Donaldson, Fatema Al Mahmeed, and Abdulla Attiya Complete 170 km Swim Around Bahrain
- Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen, Andy Donaldson, Fatema Al Mahmeed, and Abdulla Attiya Start 170 km Swim Around Bahrain
- Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen and Andy Donaldson Complete World Island Swim
- Dr. Mariam Saleh Bin Laden Becomes First Woman to Swim from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain
- 112 Days Until The Epic Swim Maui
- Epic Swim Maui
- Mariam Saleh Bin Laden
- For a cause: Mariam Saleh Binladen completes assisted English Channel swim
- Lewis Pugh Fights A Turbulent Red Sea, But His Fight For the World’s Oceans Continues
- Dr. Mariam Saleh Binladen Joins Lewis Pugh on Day 1 of the Red Sea Swim
- Lewis Pugh Starts The Red Sea Swim
- Lewis Pugh Sees Red Amid Calling For Action
