80-year old Cape surgeon breaks another record with Robben Island swim

Dr Otto Thaning, a heart surgeon who trained under Chris Barnard, is used to swimming long distances in icy waters. It is not only the waters around Cape Town that he tackles; Dr. Thaning still holds a record he set in 2014 as the oldest human to have swum across the English channel. Now, he has set another record by becoming the oldest person to swim from Robben Island to Bloubergstrand. Paced by Robben island veteran Martin Goodman and supported by members of the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association (including veteran long distance swimmer Lewis Pugh), he crossed the 7.9 km from Robben island across Table Bay in two hours and 52 minutes.  Dr Thaning told BizNews about his latest record and shared some of his secrets to a long, healthy life and career.

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