US swimmer Diana Nyad being escorted by kayakers as she swims towards the completion of her 111-mile trek from Cuba to the Florida Keys yesterday. Nyad swam into the history books, completing the marathon three-day crossing to become the first person to do so without a protective shark cage. The 64-year-old American, who left a Havana yacht club early Saturday, arrived on a Key West beach to realise her lifetime quest after four previous attempts failed amid stormy weather and jellyfish attacks. “I’ve got three messages,” a visibly exhausted but clearly ecstatic Nyad told cheering crowds as she set foot on dry land. “One is, we should never, ever give up. Two is, you never are too old to chase your dreams. Three is, it looks like a solitary sport but it’s a team,” Nyad added in a nod to the supporters who shadowed her as she braved the perilous waters
