Moroccan athlete Hassan Baraka achieved on Friday the remarkable feat of swimming around Manhattan Island in New York, covering a distance of 48.5 km and becoming the first Moroccan to accomplish this performance.
Baraka began the challenge late Friday morning (local time) from the southern tip of Manhattan, completing the full counter-clockwise circuit of the island in 9 hours and 53 minutes.
The Manhattan circumnavigation, organized by “New York Open Water” (NYOW) and open only to applicants with strong credentials in open-water swimming, is part of the iconic crossings listed by the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA).
“I am honored to represent Morocco and to inscribe the Kingdom’s name among such achievements,” the Moroccan swimmer told MAP on this occasion.
“It is very important for me to be able to swim here, along emblematic sites such as the United Nations headquarters and to reflect the reputation of Moroccan sport,” he added.
The Manhattan Island swim, also known as the “20 Bridges Swim,” passes through the Hudson, East and Harlem rivers and under 20 bridges, including the iconic Brooklyn Bridge connecting the borough of Brooklyn to Manhattan.
Reflecting on his preparation, Baraka noted that while he is physically accustomed to long-distance open-water swimming, mental strength was decisive. “For this kind of challenge, 80% of the preparation is mental, given the currents and the difficulties. It is also about keeping motivation throughout the course,” he explained.
An accomplished long-distance swimmer, Hassan Baraka boasts an impressive record. He was the first Moroccan to cross the English Channel (55 km) in July 2024 and holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest swim across the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
He is also the youngest swimmer to have linked all five continents by swimming (2014), the first Moroccan and flagbearer at the World Ice Swimming Championships (2019), and the first Moroccan to swim 500 meters at the North Pole without a wetsuit (2022).
After focusing over the past three years on long-distance swimming, Baraka said he now intends to return to ice swimming challenges, including competing in the 1st African Ice Swimming Championships scheduled for February 2026.
MAP: 18 August 2025
