Tired and sore, Neil Agius said he was “super happy” on Tuesday morning, hours after completing a world record 140km non-stop swim around Malta, Gozo and Comino. 

Thousands followed Neil’s journey which started on Saturday morning at Għadira Bay. 

Over 60 hours later the 38-year-old emerged from the water at Għar Lapsi last night as a large crowd cheered him on after having surpassed his own world record distance of 125.7km achieved in 2021. 

Despite not having slept for three nights, Neil took to social media on Tuesday morning to thank all those who supported him. 

“I always said that ultra open water swimming is full gangster and this surely lived up to the name,” the swimmer said.

“I am super happy with everything that happened, with the way the team came together to help me stay in the water for as long as possible in those crazy conditions. They were navigating through a storm, and I was doing my own navigating in the sea (...) I am super proud of them."

His swim will now have to be ratified by the World Open Water Swimming Association, the governing body that oversees ultra-endurance sport. He said he believes he swam between 142km to 144km.

Neil said while he was tired he woke up feeling "not so bad" apart from his swollen lips. 

"This is some sort of normal level of botox," he joked. 

"Last night I was weeping in pain, curling up in a ball and I couldn't swallow," he said, due to the ulcers in his mouth. 

"This is something I don't wish on anybody."

He added that he would not be swimming "any time soon", but the journey had just begun.

Neil Agius was checked by paramedics following his epic swim. Credit: Jonathan Borg

He thanked supporters for their messages.

Agius used the swim to raise awareness about the state of Malta’s marine habitat in collaboration with NGO Wave of Change and marine clean-up specialists Żibel.