Olympic champion Chad Le Clos sends words of encouragement as Angus McPherson takes on a 47km open-water marathon in the South Atlantic.
St. Helena Island (11 March 2026) – A message from one of South Africa’s greatest swimmers helped set the tone for an extraordinary challenge. Olympic champion Chad le Clos wished Angus McPherson good luck as the endurance swimmer prepared to take on a gruelling 47km circumnavigation of St Helena Island
At 23:00 local time on St Helena, Angus plunged into the South Atlantic to begin his attempt to swim the full 47-kilometre circumnavigation of St Helena Island. If successful, he will become the first man to complete this ultra-distance challenge, navigating rugged coastlines and Atlantic currents.
Fans have been following every update closely, with the swimmer’s journey shared via social media posts. By roughly seven hours into the challenge, Angus had already covered around 16 kilometres, maintaining a steady pace of 2.3 km per hour. As the day progressed, updates showed him reaching the halfway point at 22 kilometres, with the early morning sunlight lifting spirits after a long night of swimming along the island’s north and east coasts. Conditions were expected to become more demanding as he turned south-east, facing wind, chop, and surface movement.
Messages like that from Chad Le Clos and encouragement from supporters around the world bring more than motivation. Angus continues to swim one stroke at a time, with the possibility of a sub-20-hour finish still in reach.
With roughly half the swim behind him, Angus keeps pushing through. And every stroke brings him closer to completing a historic challenge.
Sources: Angus McPherson
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