IT took more than a pandemic to put Donna Nicholas off her stroke when she completed her dream of swimming the Channel.

“I smiled all the way,” said the 53 year-old, who works at Hillingdon sexual health clinic and whose original crossing was postponed when COVID-19 reached our shores.

National lockdown threatened months of cold water preparation, including gruelling weekly swims around Dover Harbour, favoured training ground of the Channel Swimming Association.

“It was frustrating but I kept my fitness by pounding the roads,” said Donna who was seconded to look after COVID patients at Central Middlesex Hospital.

“It was a scary time, but we all came together and I met some wonderful people. It’s important to have interests outside of work, though, and I always had the swim on my mind.

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“The thought of open water was certainly a refreshing thought when you are spending the best part of 12 hours in PPE.”

Donna was able to resume swimming in the summer, squeezing in several weeks of training, including a six-hour trial, before getting the nod to attempt the crossing.

She swam with the memory of her late sister for company. She wrote her name on her arm for inspiration. 

Donna completed the 21-mile course in 13 hours and 23 minutes and was greeted on the beach by Steve Stievenart, the first Frenchman to swim from Dover to France and back again.

So, what’s next for her?  “I’d like to complete the Triple Crown, which is the English Channel, the Catalina Channel between Catalina Island and the California mainland, and the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim.”