St Helena has officially been put on the map for international open-water swimming. Yesterday, 29-year-old Croatian swimmer Dina Levačić became the Island’s first official ultra-marathon swimmer to successfully circumnavigate the island, completing the 46-kilometre route.
Starting and finishing at the landing steps of the wharf, where an enthusiastic crowd gathered to shout her name in celebration, Dina pushed through challenging conditions to secure a triumphant finish.
Organised by Open water Africa’s Howard James, the monumental swim required not just physical endurance, but immense mental ability. The official statistics of Dina’s swim highlighted the sheer magnitude of the achievement. She completed the 46-kilometre circumference of the island in an astonishing total time of 17 hours, 13 minutes, and 28 seconds. During this period, she took an incredible 60,600 strokes. Her resilience is further underscored by her minimal breaks; Dina rested for a total of only 24 minutes and 22 seconds throughout the entire ordeal, averaging brief 20- to 30-second pauses for rest and nourishment approximately every 20 minutes.
The swim was a true test of resilience. While Dina maintained a solid pace, the journey was not without its mental and physical hurdles. Swimming along Sandy Bay presented strong, difficult currents. A mental toll also set in when coastal landmarks appeared to remain stagnant, giving the punishing illusion that she was not moving forward. However, conditions shifted favourably upon turning the corner at Speery Island, where the wind and currents aligned to push her along. The final stretch towards the boats moored at Jamestown proved to be a final mental test of endurance before she crossed the finish line.
An ultra-marathon swim of this calibre relies heavily on its support crew. Dina was primarily supported by her mother, Žaljana Levačić, whose unwavering dedication was compelling to watch. Positioned in a fixed location on the boat, Žaljana never once took her eyes off her daughter, proving their relationship is as strong as the determination required for a swim of this magnitude.
Navigating the unpredictable South Atlantic also required expert local knowledge. The effort was flanked by two highly experienced boat crews: Johnny and his team on the Enchanted Isle, alongside Jamie and Jamie aboard the super duck owned by their company Seahawk Odyssey. Their intimate knowledge of local landmarks and submerged underwater obstacles was imperative to keeping Dina safe and on course.
For organiser Howard James, 2026 is St. Helena’s “pioneering year” in open-water swimming. The success of the swim generated massive online engagement, bringing record traffic to the event’s live tracker page. Her remarkable achievement will now be comprehensively documented and submitted to a board of individuals for official ratification.
Meanwhile, the island is already preparing for its next challengers. A second swimmer is slated to arrive shortly to become the first male to attempt the ultra-marathon, and organisers report that slots are already being booked into 2027. To maintain safety and the integrity of the challenge, future participants will face a strict vetting process, requiring previous experience equivalent to swimming the English Channel.
For now, the island celebrates Dina Levačić a young athlete whose determination has firmly anchored St. Helena in the international open-water swimming community.
Credit to Addie Thomas for the great image.