Liz Johnson, chair of the Panathlon charity and triple Paralympic medal winning swimmer, has thanked swimmer Rachael Hunt for the amazing million-metre fundraising feat she accomplished in 2024.
“The commitment required to achieve such an ambitious goal is staggering and Rachael’s accomplishment is hugely impressive,” says Liz. “Swimming is a relentless sport and the continuity and aptitude that Rachael has demonstrated is something the she should be extremely proud of.”
Rachael completed her challenge on New Year’s Eve at Grange Paddocks pool – having swum an average of 3km per day…or in other words 120 lengths of a standard 25m pool every single day! Putting it all together, one million metres is the equivalent of completing the English Channel swim 30 times, or swimming around the perimeter of the Isle of Wight ten times!
“I worked very hard in November and December [to reach the target],” Rachael says.
And New Year’s Eve was a special day.
“I had friends and family on the benches poolside, cheering me on as I finished. To have people around, it was so nice. It was a lovely experience.”
The idea for Rachael’s challenge began when she was having physio for an injury at Panathlon’s sponsors Carter and George (co-founded by Rhys Carter and England rugby union captain Jamie George). They told her about the Panathlon team taking part in the Swim Serpentine event in London’s Hyde Park.
Sadly, she was unable to take part due to injury – and it made her want to find another way to support Panathlon.
A huge congratulations from all of us at Panathlon to Rachael and for the monies raised by her in this achievement. (You can still support her and make a donation via her page.) We will use this to provide more swimming opportunities for young people with disabilities and additional needs.
