Eightyearold Completes Recordsetting Alcatraz Swim



Braxton Bilbrey now holds the record as the youngest person ever to complete the 3.5-mile swim around Alcatraz Island. The eight-year-old entered the 61 degree water of San Francisco Bay at 6:15 a.m. and completed the swim in less than two hours.

In 2006, as a seven-year-old, Bilbrey set the world record as the youngest ever to swim from Alcatraz Island back to San Francisco. Now, the Glendale, Ariz., youth has another world record: the youngest person to ever complete the swim "Around the Rock."

Minutes after sunrise, Bilbrey entered San Francisco Bay accompanied by his coach Joe Zemaitis and two other swimmers. Wearing a full wetsuit, Braxton reached Alcatraz in 44 minutes and, after rounding the famous landmark, headed back to San Francisco's Aquatic Park. Amid the cheers of tourists and locals, the new record-holder exited the water with an official time of 1:58.

"Braxton is so brave and determined; after last year's swim, he set his mind to swimming 'Around the Rock,'" said Zemaitis. "Last year, he did the one-way--this year he wanted to do the round trip."

Zemaitis, author of JOE'S RULES: How Every Parent Can Help Their Child Excel--Through Sports, accompanied Bilbrey on both record-setting swims. In April, Bilbrey, along with 52 young swimmers from Zemaitis' Swim Neptune Club (



Eightyearold Completes Recordsetting Alcatraz Swim