Hassan Baraka becomes first Moroccan to swim around Manhattan

Sunday 17 August 2025 - 16:45

Moroccan endurance swimmer Hassan Baraka has made history by completing the 48.5-kilometer swim around Manhattan Island in New York, becoming the first athlete from Morocco to achieve this feat.

Baraka began his challenge late Friday morning, starting from the southern tip of Manhattan and swimming counterclockwise around the island. He completed the course in 9 hours and 53 minutes, navigating the Hudson, East, and Harlem rivers and passing under 20 bridges, including the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

The event, known as the “20 Bridges Swim” and organized by New York Open Water, is one of the world’s most prestigious open water challenges, attracting only selected swimmers after a rigorous application process.

“It is an honor to represent Morocco and showcase the strength of Moroccan sports on such an international stage,” Baraka said, adding that the mental preparation was as important as the physical endurance.

Baraka is no stranger to major achievements. He was the first Moroccan to swim across the English Channel in July 2024 and still holds a Guinness World Record for the fastest crossing of the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. He also became the youngest swimmer to connect all five continents in 2014, and in 2022 he swam 500 meters at the North Pole without a wetsuit.

After dedicating recent years to long-distance challenges, Baraka announced plans to return to ice swimming, with the goal of competing in the first African Ice Swimming Championship scheduled for February 2026.