Ultraman World Champion to swim around Phuket

PHUKET: Swedish Ultraman World Champion Jonas Colting will undertake the first ‘Swim Around Phuket’. If successful, he will be the first swimmer to circumnavigate the island.

Another aim of the mission is to raise funds for the Yaowawit School, a government-approved boarding school for children from underprivileged families, initially founded to help children who were victims of the 2004 tsunami.

“If we all swam more in the oceans, we would receive a greater awareness of the importance of good water quality,” Mr Colting said. “Now I’m ready for the adventure Swim Around Phuket, which highlights the importance of clean water with the goal to inspire more people to swim in open water and make the journey into an adventure.”

Mr Colting is no stranger to long-distance swimming. Aside from the 10-kilometer swims that are part of the Ultraman format of long-distance triathlon racing, he took part in the charity swim SverigeSimmet in 2014, a 640-kilometer swim from Stockholm to Gothenburg.

Mr Colting has partnered with Thanyapura Phuket and Apollo Travel Group to make Swim Around Phuket a reality and plans to swim the island’s 120-kilometer coast in seven days. Each day he will cover between 10 to 17 kilometers and has extended an open invitation to anyone who would like to join him on one or more stages.

Thanyapura has thrown its full organizational support behind the swim trek, hosting Mr Colting and his team from Apollo Travel Group as they prepare for the swim and work together toward a safe and successful attempt at the feat.

“The plan to swim around the island of Phuket has been something we thought was a remarkable feat and something that only the world’s best endurance athletes could consider doing,” said Thanyapura Executive Chairman Chris McCormack.

Mr McCormack, a four-time triathlon world champion himself, will be accompanying Mr Colting for certain segments of the swim and is inviting members of the community to join in the amazing challenge.

“Jonas is an athlete I have known my entire racing career and I am aware of his powerful will and huge endurance engine. He is the perfect athlete to be the first person to ever swim around the island of Phuket and to challenge any other athlete to take up this feat,” Mr McCormack added.

To join Mr Colting on one or more stages of his trek, please contact events@thanyapura.com or visit www.thanyapura.com/events.