Teh One Who Knocks
07-30-2012, 05:18 PM
Written by Macca Sherifi - Gap Year
http://i.imgur.com/Jv6uV.jpg
After a pulsating and pounding opening ceremony on Friday night, and world record's being broken left, right and centre on the days that followed, it seems as if Olympic fever has gripped us all. There's no doubt about it, people's interest in sport has shot through the roof, and so have people's expectations.
For one man, it inspired him to try and swim to America from Biarritz, southern France, without any training or equipment. In short, he had gone out of his mind on the Olympics.
Despite his insistence that he was up to the challenge, he was rescued by coastguards just off the coast who convinced him that it probably wasn't a good idea to continue, in what will no doubt be one of many epic fails at the Olympics.
It's thought that the 34-year-old holidaymaker was visiting Biarritz with friends. He told them that he was planning to swim to New York, 3,594 miles away, to carry the Olympic spirit across the Atlantic.
They let him go because they thought he was joking and knew that he was a strong swimmer.
At 3.30pm, lifeguards watched as he swam past the buoys 300 yards out to sea, which mark the legal limit for swimmers. He then continued to swim until he was out of sight.
At this point, lifeguards called out a helicopter and a diver dropped into the sea and explained to the man that it was a good idea to turn back.
At the same time, lifeguards arrived in a rescue dinghy. The man then realised that he might have made a mistake, so lifeguards threw him a line and towed him back to the beach.
Laurent Saintespes, senior officer at Biarritz airbase told Agence France Presse: "He was a bit naive. But at a time when the Olympics are taking place in London you have to see the funny side of things."
http://i.imgur.com/Jv6uV.jpg
After a pulsating and pounding opening ceremony on Friday night, and world record's being broken left, right and centre on the days that followed, it seems as if Olympic fever has gripped us all. There's no doubt about it, people's interest in sport has shot through the roof, and so have people's expectations.
For one man, it inspired him to try and swim to America from Biarritz, southern France, without any training or equipment. In short, he had gone out of his mind on the Olympics.
Despite his insistence that he was up to the challenge, he was rescued by coastguards just off the coast who convinced him that it probably wasn't a good idea to continue, in what will no doubt be one of many epic fails at the Olympics.
It's thought that the 34-year-old holidaymaker was visiting Biarritz with friends. He told them that he was planning to swim to New York, 3,594 miles away, to carry the Olympic spirit across the Atlantic.
They let him go because they thought he was joking and knew that he was a strong swimmer.
At 3.30pm, lifeguards watched as he swam past the buoys 300 yards out to sea, which mark the legal limit for swimmers. He then continued to swim until he was out of sight.
At this point, lifeguards called out a helicopter and a diver dropped into the sea and explained to the man that it was a good idea to turn back.
At the same time, lifeguards arrived in a rescue dinghy. The man then realised that he might have made a mistake, so lifeguards threw him a line and towed him back to the beach.
Laurent Saintespes, senior officer at Biarritz airbase told Agence France Presse: "He was a bit naive. But at a time when the Olympics are taking place in London you have to see the funny side of things."