Athlete becomes first person to swim English Channel length

A British swimming association says endurance athlete Lewis Pugh has completed his 330-mile (530-kilometer) swim along the length of the English Channel from Land's End to Dover — the first swimmer to do so.

The Channel Swimming Association, which authenticates cross-Channel swims, says the 48-year-old covered between 10-20 kilometers (six to 12 miles) a day for 49 days. After finishing the challenge that began July 12, he told the crowd cheering his arrival Wednesday that he was "exhausted and exhilarated in equal measure."

The so-called Long Swim was a bid to raise awareness about ocean pollution and rising water temperatures because of climate change.

Members of the group Surfers Against Sewage joined him on the beach after taking part in a litter-picking exercise in anticipation of his arrival.