55 hours in the water: Polish swimmer crosses Baltic Sea from Sweden to home country

Bartłomiej Kubkowski has pulled off an extraordinary feat, becoming the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland in 55 hours, covering 160 kilometres. The swimmer set off from Sweden on Friday, making a fifth attempt to take on one of the toughest challenges of his career. On Sunday evening he reached the Polish coast, where crowds of supporters were waiting for him. For the feat to be officially recognised, Kubkowski had to leave the water under his own steam and could not receive assistance from a boat at any time. That condition was met. Once on shore, the athlete admitted that the sheer exhaustion meant he was not yet able to grasp the full extent of his achievement. For more than two days he remained in the water, with no sleep and no real break, racking up thousands of strokes. During the crossing, his main foe was not only the distance but also physical exhaustion. After several dozen hours without sleep, he went through crisis periods marked by concentration problems and loss of lucidity. The team accompanying Kubkowski monitored his safety and navigation and ensured a regular intake of energy and fluids. Years of preparation and a battle to make a dream come true This success in the Baltic Sea is the result of several years of attempts and preparation. Kubkowski first took on the challenge in 2022, but had to stop after 115 kilometres. Over the years he gradually improved his performance and gained the experience needed to complete such a demanding route. He came closest to his goal in 2025, when he covered around 159 kilometres and spent 53 hours in the water. He was then only about 15 kilometres short of the Polish coast. That attempt was called off because of extreme exhaustion. This time, the athlete drew on all his previous experience. His preparation included hours of swim training, endurance exercises, work on mental resilience and a carefully planned nutrition strategy. Kubkowski dedicated his success to the beneficiaries of the Cancer Fighters foundation, for whom a fundraiser was organised during the challenge. For years the swimmer has combined extreme sport with charity work. The Pole holds the world record for 24-hour swimming, has won multiple medals at national and international events and is the initiator of the Ultra Baltic Swim project. Crossing the Baltic Sea, however, has been the biggest challenge of his career to date. At the same time, Karolina Szczepaniak also set out to try to swim across the Baltic. The Olympic swimmer, who competed at the Beijing and London Games, holds a Guinness World Record for 72 hours of uninterrupted swimming. Her goal was to reach Pobierowo and support the treatment of 14-year-old Piotr Małolepszy. Her attempt ended after 58 hours in the water, when she was still about 40 km from the Polish coast. Strength, endurance and determination Swimming across the Baltic is regarded as one of the toughest challenges in long-distance swimming. The swimmer must face not only a considerable distance but also changeable weather, cold water, waves and mounting physical fatigue. The Pole's historic success has earned widespread recognition in the sporting world. His feat is not only the fulfilment of a long-held dream; it also testifies to his perseverance and determination to reach his goal despite past failures. After five attempts and thousands of hours of training, Bartłomiej Kubkowski can add one of his most striking achievements to his record: swimming solo across the Baltic.