Türkiye's Bengisu Avci swims around Manhattan Island for 9 hours

By Islam Dogru

NEW YORK (AA) - Türkiye's Bengisu Avci, an ultra-marathon swimmer, swam around Manhattan Island for nine hours on Sunday to be the first Turkish female athlete to have completed the track.

Avci plunged from a boat to swim the 48-kilometer (25.9-nautical mile) track in New York City for nine hours.

She previously swam across the English Channel between the UK and France in 2018 for 11 hours and 29 minutes to be the fastest Turkish female athlete in this field.

Avci also completed the 18.3-nautical mile Catalina Channel track in California in 2022, becoming the first Turkish athlete to do so.