Marathon Swimmer Set to Swim in Lake with 35,000 Crocodiles Days After World Record

The race begins with a deep-water start and finishes in Bamboo Cove, near the Lake Argyle Resort. Participants can race either 10 or 20 kilometers, about 6 and 12 miles respectively.

The race comes just four days after Scotland-born Donaldson completed his longest solo swim ever with the 55-kilometer 'Dam-to-Dam Challenge' up the Ord River on Tuesday, April 28.

He finished the challenge in 11 hours and 51 minutes, pending ratification, breaking the record set by Simone Blaser in September 2024 by over four hours. Blaser was there to support him, even swimming part of the stretch alongside him, and they embraced each other when they returned to dry land.

“I'm over the moon," he said in a press release shared with PEOPLE. "It was an incredible experience and almost surreal swimming through truly magical lands, the red rocks, the gorges, I reckon better than swimming than Grand Canyon."

He described it as "the best swim I've ever done," despite struggles with extreme heat and dehydration. And, while he didn't actually see any of the 5,500 crocodiles that live in the river during the race himself, there was one alongside him when he was getting ready to start.

An adult-sized freshwater crocodile, over 8 feet in length, was there at the start ramp, but both Donaldson and the crocodile kept a "respectable distance" from each other, per the press release.

"This swim was always more than breaking records; it's about inspiring others and shining a spotlight on this beautiful place," he added of completing the challenge and paying tribute to the town of Kununurra, which sits on the river.

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“Seeing the excited kids at the finish line cheering me on is what it's all about," he continued. "It was fantastic to see so many locals, hundreds of people at the finish line. I'm truly grateful, thank you.”

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