Champion of the waterways: endurance swimmer Oly Rush

Environmentalist Oly Rush has three big swims under his belt – a 100-mile Jurassic Coast swim, a circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight and the fastest circumnavigation of Grand Cayman in the Caribbean, all raising awareness of plastic pollution in our oceans

In 2022, Dorset swimmer Oly Rush became the first person to swim non-stop around Grand Cayman in the Caribbean, setting a world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the island in 36 hours 59 minutes. “It began as a ‘I wonder if it’s possible’, and I think my naivety and childish enthusiasm ended up making it a reality,” says Oly, whose feat was captured in documentary film, The Grand Swim.  

A passionate environmentalist, Oly has a long-standing love affair with the sea. This was the third in a series of ‘big’ swims (which included a 100-mile, 10-day staged swim of the Jurassic Coast and circumnavigating the Isle of Wight), all aimed at raising awareness of ocean plastics and inspiring others to take action. “The impact we’re having on the ocean is something I have dedicated much of my time to fighting,” he told us. 

Before his Grand Cayman swim, Oly had been training as an endurance swimmer for three years, but it was still a big step up. In the run up, he was swimming 70km per week, putting in time at the gym, working on his mobility and tucking into a healthy diet. “That was just a physical side,” he says. “I was also still out on the beaches clearing plastics, reminding myself exactly why I was taking on the challenge.” 

Keeping one foot grounded in his motivation is central to completing the swims. “I think we all thrive when we have a purpose. And I can think of no better purpose than protecting something you love,” he says.  

After a quiet couple of years, Oly is gearing up to attempt the world’s longest non-tidal assisted open water swim – but making sure his swim will have an impact will be one of the deciding factors. “For me to even attempt to swim of that magnitude, there would need to be a real measurable environmental outcome in order to fuel a swim like that.” 

Watch ‘The Grand Swim’ for free on the Water Bear platform, waterbear.com. Follow Oly’s adventures at projectplanet.earth and on Instagram @projectplanet.earth.