Open-water swimmer Ingemar Macarine. | contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Ingemar Macarine lauded the feat of Cebuano swimmer Cleevan Alegres, who completed a swim around the entire island of Mactan on Monday, April 26, 2021.
Read: Cebu’s ‘Little Merman’ makes history, completes swim around Mactan Island
“I salute his effort in promoting sports and marine conservation,” said the 44-year-old Macarine, who already completed 37 open-water swims in and out of the country.
Macarine is well-known for crossing the icy waters of San Francisco Bay from Alcatraz Island Penitentiary to San Francisco City twice in 2014 and 2018.
The 25-year-old Alegres finished the grueling 40-kilometer swim in 17 hours, 37 minutes, and 35 seconds, arriving at the Liberty Shrine in Barangay Mactan at 10:37 a.m.
“Congratulations for a job well done,” Macarine said when asked what his message for Alegres was.
Macarine and Alegres have the same advocacy in raising awareness on marine conservation and water pollution.
Macarine, an environmental lawyer, is planning to make a return in open-water swimming after a long break. His last documented open water swim was February 2020, when he conquered the seas across the Zamboanga Sibugay Bay, covering 2.7-kilometers.
Read: After 2 years off, Pinoy Aquaman returns and crosses Sibugay Bay
/bmjo