Activist and endurance athlete Neil Agius will use an original breathing technique to effectively turn himself into a "human lilo", helping him glide across 160km of open seawater in his world-record attempt.

“[The experts] are not sure if it is even possible, I’m pretty sure it is,” he told Times of Malta in an interview ahead of his swim. 

On Monday morning, the Olympian began his attempt to cross 160 kilometres - or almost 100 miles - of open water without any assistance, breaking a record that he currently holds.

To prepare for the feat, Agius has created a new breathing technique that allows him to naturally stay afloat.

“I am going to turn myself into a lilo,” he said. 

By breathing in for three seconds and exhaling for two seconds, Agius can store up to half a minute’s worth of air in his lungs, bringing his buoyant body to the surface.

Now able to swim higher up in the water, Agius believes he will be able to swim more efficiently while having a reserve of oxygen in his lungs that also helps prevent fatigue.

The swim is estimated to take Agius around 70 hours to complete, testing the environmental activist’s physical and mental stamina as he crosses from Mallorca to the eastern coast of Ibiza.

Supporting Agius are experts in various fields who are guiding him through certain aspects of the endurance challenge, such as battling fatigue and hallucinations that Agius fought against in his previous attempt two years ago.

Neil Agius has developed a technique that will help him swim efficiently. Photo: Karl Andrew Micallef

Rather than going for extended periods without sleep to prepare for the three days of constant swimming, Agius said that experts have told him to do the opposite to “store that energy”.

“[They] are not sure if it is even possible, I’m pretty sure it is,” he said as only time will tell who is right.

However, Agius said that he also relies heavily on his own experiences as there is no manual for such a niche endurance feat.

There are moments during my day where I go, ‘how the hell am I going to swim for 70 hours?'- Neil Agius

For example, Agius explained that he would rather rely on meditation and his own mental fortitude rather than visit psychological professionals who have never had to swim such lengths.

A trick that helps Agius prepare to be “comfortable with the uncomfortable” is keeping a blank mind during the entirety of the challenge, he said.

“When I think of nothing is when time moves. When you try to think of something, time doesn’t move,” he said. 

In 2021, Agius attempted to break the world record for the longest ocean swim which saw the endurance-athlete travel 125.7km in 52 hours and 10 minutes. The aquatic trip from Linosa, Lampedusa to Xlendi, Gozo was verified by the Marathon Swimmers Federation on Sunday, according to Agius' team. 

Neil Agius arrives at Xlendi following world-record swim in June 2021. Photo: Jonathan Borg

“People who saw me walk onto the beach in Xlendi think that I am absolutely nuts for what I am trying to do,” he said.

When Agius arrived in Xlendi two years ago, the swimmer stumbled his way to the finish line, mental and physical exhaustion written across his body.

“There are moments during my day where I go, ‘how the hell am I going to swim for 70 hours,’” he said.

“But once I wake up in the morning of the swim, there’s not a single doubt. I know that what I have done is the right thing to do and I know that I am capable of doing it.”

Neil Agius is confident he can complete the challenge - even if experts are less sure it is possible. Photo: Karl Andrew Micallef

On a more awkward note, Agius explained that nature’s calls are not put on hold during marathon swims, which means the athlete must find optimal moments to relieve himself.

“Ideally it happens in that one minute and a half [when I stop to eat],” Agius explained, as every half an hour he stops to snack on nutrition such as energy gels, ravioli and smoothies.

If Agius takes an extra 30 seconds during each of his 140 pre-planned stops, that will amount to an extra two hours of being in the water, so it is imperative that no time is wasted, he said.

Swim for change

Just like his previous record attempt, Agius said that he is not taking the challenge for personal glory but rather to send a message, one that asks people to live healthier and environmentally friendlier.

Previously, the swimmer along with his NGO Wave of Change had asked followers to pick up plastic from beaches.

Now, Agius is going beyond discarded plastics by asking people to follow the NGO’s latest campaign, Change for Change.

The campaign focuses on three pillars that seek to change peoples’ eating habits, lifestyle routines and clothing purchases through small mindful adjustments, Agius said.

Dress for Change asks people to make sustainable fashion choices such as mending clothes before buying new ones.

Eat for Change encourages people to change their diets by prioritising local produce, Agius explained.

Live for Change is broader in scope, asking people to be more aware of their energy and water consumption, he said.

Through his previous efforts, Agius said he feels that the Maltese have been extremely receptive to his environmental efforts, however, it now needs to be bigger than a single country.

“[We] are trying to get millions of people to live a more sustainable life. They don’t need to do it perfectly… so we need millions of people doing it imperfectly,” he said as it is impossible to ask everyone to transform straight into completely sustainable lifestyles.