In a truly breathtaking display of endurance and mental fortitude, Polish swimmer Karolina Szczepaniak has claimed the Guinness World Record for the farthest distance swimming in a 25-meter pool by a female in 48 hours. The Polish Olympian swam an astonishing 149.02 kilometers (92.59 miles) in a non-stop, two-day effort.
The record-breaking attempt took place in Warsaw from February 10 to February 12, 2025. For 48 straight hours, Szczepaniak swam back and forth, pausing only for short breaks to eat and drink. Throughout the entire ordeal, she chose not to sleep, pushing her body and mind to their absolute limits. Her incredible feat breaks the previous record and sets a new benchmark for ultra-distance swimming.
The achievement is the latest in a career defined by resilience. Szczepaniak, who is 33, has a long history of grueling swims, including competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics. She stated that the record attempt was part of her training for an even more ambitious goal: swimming across the Baltic Sea.
Szczepaniak also used the event as a fundraiser for a Polish foundation that provides rehabilitation and prosthetics for children. “I can’t imagine breaking the barriers of my own psyche and my own body… without raising funds for a very worthy cause,” she said. Her historic swim has not only earned her a world record but has also inspired countless people with her determination and charitable spirit.
