62 year old woman abandons world record Cuba- Florida swim attempt after jellyfish attack

Washington, Sept 26(ANI): Veteran swimmer Diana Nyad, who had embarked on a Cuba to Florida swimming adventure was forced abandon her attempt due to suffering pain after being stung several times by Portuguese jellyfish during her journey. She had aimed to set a world record for open sea swim from Cuba to the United States without a shark cage. Nyad, 62 had swum at least 49 miles of the 103-mile passage before quitting her journey. he said the stings had temporarily paralyzed her spine and the pain had become unbearable. Doctors had warned her that toxins from the stings were accumulating in the body and another sting could risk her life. Nyad braved barracudas and sharks during the swim without the shark cage, the Discovery News reports. "An Oceanic white tipped shark was spotted near Diana in the midst of the three boat flotilla.Rob MacDonald, one of (her safety) divers, swam towards the shark, where they faced off within 10 feet of one another," a post on Nyad's website said. "I guess he thought I was more aggressive than him, and he turned in the other direction," MacDonald was quoted as saying. It was Nyad's third swim attempt after failed bids in 1978 and August 2011. Nyad began her journey on September 23 from the Ernest Hemingway International Nautical Club, and had expected to reach Florida's coast by September 26. (ANI)