Maura Twomey completes Catalina Channel swim at age 70

Maura Twomey, a 70-year-old Irish-native living in Boston, has become the oldest person to successfully cross California’s Catalina Channel. On August 17, she completed the swim in an unofficial time of 15:45:23, pending ratification.

With this achievement, Twomey has earned the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, having previously completed the English Channel and the 20 Bridges Swim.

Beyond the athletic milestone, Twomey undertook the challenge to raise funds for the Irish Kidney Association and to honor her family’s connection to organ donation. Her brother, Martin Twomey, recently received a life-changing kidney transplant after two and a half years on dialysis. The swim also serves to highlight the impact of donor families, including the donation of organs and heart valves by the late wife of Twomey's brother.