Bartłomiej Kubkowski has made history by becoming the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland. The Polish endurance athlete set off from the Swedish coast on Friday and arrived on the Polish shore on Sunday evening, after spending 55 hours in the water and covering roughly 160 kilometres.
His arrival was met by crowds of supporters on the beach, but the 38-year-old was too exhausted to fully grasp what he had achieved. “I need time to understand what happened,” he told reporters, his voice hoarse from saltwater and fatigue.
A test of physical and mental limits
The crossing is considered one of the most demanding challenges in open-water swimming. Kubkowski had to contend not only with the sheer distance but also with cold water, shifting weather, and waves. More than two days without sleep took a heavy toll: he experienced periods of confusion and loss of focus, which his support team monitored closely from a following boat.
Under the rules for official recognition, Kubkowski was not allowed to touch the boat or receive any physical assistance. He had to leave the water under his own power, a condition he met. His team ensured he stayed hydrated and took in energy gels and fluids at regular intervals, but he never left the water.
The swim was his fifth attempt. In 2022, he was forced to stop after 115 kilometres. In 2025, he came within 15 kilometres of the Polish coast after 53 hours, but extreme exhaustion ended that bid. This time, he drew on years of training that included long-distance swims, mental resilience work, and a carefully planned nutrition strategy.
Kubkowski dedicated the achievement to the Cancer Fighters foundation, for which a fundraiser was organised during the challenge. He has a history of combining extreme sport with charity, and holds the world record for 24-hour swimming.
His success also highlights the growing interest in long-distance swimming in the Baltic, a sea that faces its own environmental pressures. The region has seen changes in its marine ecosystem, including expanding oxygen-depleted zones, which make such feats even more remarkable.
Meanwhile, another Polish swimmer, Karolina Szczepaniak, also attempted a Baltic crossing in parallel. The Olympic swimmer, who competed in Beijing and London, aimed to reach Pobierowo to support the treatment of 14-year-old Piotr Małolepszy. After 58 hours in the water, she was still about 40 kilometres from the coast when her team called off the attempt due to safety concerns.
Kubkowski's feat has drawn praise across the sporting world, not least because it required not just physical strength but extraordinary mental fortitude. “He showed what the human body and mind can achieve when they work together,” said a spokesperson for his sponsor.
The swimmer's record now includes the Baltic crossing, a title he earned after five attempts and thousands of hours of training. His story is a reminder that perseverance can turn a dream into reality, even when the odds seem insurmountable.
