This Real-Life Mermaid Set A Guinness World Record For Farthest Swim With A Monotail
On May 7, Merle Liivand made mermaid history. She completed the farthest swim ever using a monofin and broke her own previous Guinness World Record.
The Miami Eco Mermaid started her swim at Miami Beach, Florida, and traveled just over twenty-six miles. The entire swim took Merle only eleven hours and fifty-four minutes to complete.
And this is not just the second time she has broken a world record. In fact, she is a four-time record holder with a rich background in competitive swimming and marine conservation.
Merle is from Tallinn, Estonia, where she trained in ice swimming and became a Baltic champion. Then, just over a decade ago, she moved to the states and settled in Florida.
Since making the move, Merle has trained countless people to swim like her while also advocating for clean ocean initiatives.
She was actually born with an auto-immune disease that caused her lungs to collapse. But, swimming helped her take back control over her body.
So now, she has been “fighting for Mother Earth’s lungs.”
And part of the reason why Merle swims with a monofin is to create publicity for the important cause. After all, seeing someone with their very own mermaid tail is not a common occurrence and is bound to turn some heads.
Instagram; pictured above is Merle
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Back in April of 2021, Merle had set the first-ever record involving swimming with a monofin. But, she realized weather conditions made the water more difficult to navigate that day and knew she could outdo her own record.
“My last record was 18.6 miles, and Mother Earth really challenged me. I swam in very tough conditions and knew that if I swam in the bay this time, there would not be a crazy current,” Merle explained.
So, she altered her training strategies and made it a goal to attempt the record again this past May.
“Over thirteen months, I really changed my training. I planked for fifty minutes three times per week, attended hot yoga, focused on my breathing and nutrition, and really connected with myself,” Merle said.
And after entering the water once again, Merle was unstoppable. She did not stop to eat once during the entire twenty-six-mile trek but instead collected any trash or pollutants she discovered in the water.
Merle was even stung by a jellyfish, but did not let the pain get in the way of her swim.
“I kept telling myself that it was not the time to cry,” she said.
Since accomplishing the impressive feat, Merle is hopeful that her new record will inspire people to enjoy our oceans while also taking care of them.
“We need to make sure that we’re all healthy. Healthy humans mean a healthy planet,” Merle said.
You can follow Merle on Instagram here.
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