MEDIA: Paralympian First to Swim from Abrolhos to Geraldton

Jeremy McClure has become the first person to swim solo from the Abrolhos Islands to Geraldton, adding to his growing list of open-water swims while raising funds for Guide Dogs Australia.

Last Friday, Jeremy took on the 62-kilometre crossing off the coast of Western Australia which he described to Jessica Moronay from the Geraldton Guardian as “definitely Rottnest on steroids”.

Open ocean swimming is a favourite challenge for the Paralympian. In February, he was the first person to swim the 36 kilometres from Dirk Hartog Island to Denham in Western Australia. 

He has also completed 11 solo Rottnest Channel crossings (20km), of which 4 were backstroke. 

Jeremy took to swimming when he was 15 after his eyesight deteriorated down to two percent vision.

“To give myself a positive distraction from the trauma of losing my vision I took to the pool, one of the few blind accessible sports,” he explains on his mycause fundraising page.

Jeremy’s Abrolhos Islands to Geraldton online fundraising campaign raised almost $7,000 for Guide Dogs WA.

His second attempt at this solo swim has caught the attention of the media with The West Australian, ABC News, and Nine News also covering the story.

Jeremy had to halt his first attempt at the record in June this year due to bad weather. His determination, however, is an inspiration for us all.

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