A Frenchman became the first limbless person to swim the Channel on Saturday night.
Philippe Croizon, 42, set off from Folkestone, Kent, at around 6am expecting to reach France within 24 hours but managed to complete the feat in just 13-and-a-half hours.
He was forced to have his arms and legs amputated after he suffered an electric shock while removing a television aerial from a roof 16 years ago.
He only taught himself to swim in the last two years and does so using prosthetic legs and a snorkel and mask.
Earlier his spokeswoman said he was swimming faster than expected after completing his first 12 miles in just eight hours.
After completing the 21-mile challenge, Mr Croizon told the BBC that at no point did he feel he was not going to make it, despite pains and aches all over his body.
His father said his son had been helped by favourable wind conditions and had even had three dolphins swimming alongside at one point, which was a “sign of good luck”.
The amputee trained for 35 hours a week for the past two years and his endeavour attracted letters of support from President Sarkozy and other politicians.
The Telegraph
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