Channel swim pride of quadriplegic

A QUADRIPLEGIC man has successfully swum the English Channel in just over 13 hours.

Philippe Croizon, 42, completed the feat on Saturday, September 18, leaving Folkestone at 8.00 and arriving in Wissant, near Calais, at 21.13.

"I've done it. This is mad, I really wanted to succeed," Mr Croizon told France Info after arriving in France.

Mr Croizon lost his arms and legs in 1994 following an accident when a TV aerial he was repairing clipped a powerline.

His father told reporters his son was a symbol for pushing personal boundaries.

"With this success, he has shown the value of the disabled, that they can successfully complete challenges like able-bodied people," he said.

Mr Croizon has been training up to 30 hours a week for the last two years in preparation for the crossing.

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