Antonio Argüelles’ Marathon Swim Story
A natural born story teller, Antonio Arguelles doesn’t waste a moment, he jumps straight into the story of how he got started swimming in cold water in his grandfathers, oddly shaped pool, why swimming his medicine, the familiar dream of wanting to be an Olympic champion. And how the tides turned and he became the seventh person to complete the Oceans Seven.
If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to pick up a copy of his book ‘The Forever Swim’.
I hope you enjoy my conversation with Antonio.
In his own words:
My name is Antonio Argüelles. I have gone through many stages in my life—public servant, businessman, consultant, writer, public speaker—but, if I had to describe myself in some way, I would not think twice: I am a Mexican open water swimmer.
After completing my B.A. in Germanic Studies and Economics at Stanford University, I returned to Mexico and joined the public sector. I was Undersecretary of Administration at the Ministry of Commerce and Industrial Development and at the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, and then served as General Director of the National College of Technical Professional Education (Conalep). I never imagined it, but that is where I discovered my professional passion: education. I am currently General Director of the New Technological School (NET), which provides quality education at an affordable cost in the surrounding areas of Mexico City, and do consulting work for various state governments on educational policy design and implementation.
Although I love my job, nowhere do I feel as comfortable as in the water. I started swimming in my grandfather’s pool in Cuernavaca when I was little, but there was a particular moment that made me want to be a swimmer: the victory of Felipe “el Tibio” Muñoz in the 1968 Olympics. After witnessing the race on TV, frothing over with energy, I knew immediately that this was the path I wanted to follow. For many years I trained hard and, although I did well in the pool, I never made it to the Olympics. However, swimming gave me much more than a moment of glory: it helped me improve my grades, instilled discipline and perseverance in me, led me to my first business—I started selling swimsuits and other Speedo products—and even enabled me to study in the United States.
Since then, I always try to have a goal or an adventure in mind. Sports challenges—any kind of challenge, in fact—stimulate discipline and concentration and make our lives more interesting and enjoyable. In other words, goals force us to push ourselves to become our best selves, and to me that’s what this life is all about.
That is also the idea behind my open water swims. After a period of focusing on marathons and Ironman triathlons, I decided to return to the water. I wanted to put myself to the test once again, this time in the ocean. First, I completed twice the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, which consists of three challenges: crossing the Catalina Channel off the coast of California, swimming around Manhattan Island, and crossing the English Channel. More recently, in 2017, I completed the Oceans Seven, a series of seven high-difficulty open water swims around the world (Cook Strait, Strait of Gibraltar, Strait of Tsugaru, Catalina Channel, English Channel, Ka’iwi Channel, and North Channel). As a result, I earned a Guinness World Record: oldest man (58 years 110 days) to complete the Oceans Seven.
The next challenge, of course, is already in sight. I want to complete as many double crossings of the Oceans Seven as possible. In August 2019 I finished the Catalina Channel double crossing in 24 hours and 17 minutes, thereby earning my second Guinness World Record: oldest person (60 years 134 days) to achieve this feat. In August 2021, I pursued a third record by attempting a double crossing of the English Channel. After 23 hours and 21 minutes of swimming and 88.7 kilometers covered, I had to suspend the swim due to hypothermia. However, I finished my third single crossing of the Channel in 12 hours and 58 minutes, and plans are already in place for another attempt in 2024. As part of my preparation for this new goal, in August 2022 I completed a double swim around Manhattan; when I finished the first lap, I got my third Triple Crown.
On dry land, I also try to constantly challenge myself and create new projects. One of them, Brazada Abrazada (or Hugging Swimming Stroke), combines my two great passions: education and swimming. Through aquatic activities, this project seeks to promote physical activity, foster social relationships, and develop cognitive and emotional skills among public school students. Swimming changed my life and I am convinced of its transformative capacity.
The other major project I’ve recently worked on is The Forever Swim, a book in which I tell the story of my Oceans Seven experiences as well as the main lessons I have learned throughout my life. Like my open water swims, finishing the book required a lot of discipline and patience.
To learn more about Antonio Argüelles visit:
https://antonioarguelles.com
https://www.instagram.com/arguelles7mares/
https://es-la.facebook.com/arguelles7mares/
To learn more about Brazada Abrazada visit:
https://www.instagram.com/brazadaabrazadamx/
https://www.facebook.com/FundacionBrazadaAbrazada/
