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ARGArgentinaSport:SwimmingClaudio Plit grew up swimming in the Paraná River at Rosario. Three consecutive national long-distance championships took him from Argentine competition to the Nile marathon in Egypt in 1973. He went on to race for three decades. In July 1979 he won the Capri-to-Naples marathon in 7 hours 40 minutes 41 seconds. That summer he also swam in an international race across the English Channel, finishing second to John Kinsella in 9 hours 45 minutes.
Plit returned to the Channel race in 1981 and won in 8 hours 58 minutes. The Channel Swimming Association recognised it as the fastest swim by a man that year. He also won five editions of the Lac Saint-Jean crossing in Quebec, where his rivalry with New Zealand swimmer Philip Rush lasted a decade. The International Swimming Hall of Fame credits him with four Capri-to-Naples victories across the 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1986 editions.
After competing, Plit coached professional swimmers and directed international open-water races in Argentina. Fundación Konex, which honoured him in 1990, credits him with coaching 25 swimmers who crossed the English Channel between 1993 and 2009.
Won the 1981 international Channel race in 8 hours 58 minutes
Crossing details, recordings & verificationSolo · 1-way
England to France
Tuesday, 28 August 1979 (recorded swim date)
Elapsed time · 9h 45m
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Qualification · Published race dates differ between 24 and 28 August 1979. The recorded 9h 45m and second place agree.
Sources disagree · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo · 1-way
England to France
Monday, 24 August 1981 (recorded swim date)
Elapsed time · 8h 58m
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Ratifying body's record checked · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Open-water swimming · Race
Sunday, 8 July 1979 (event date)
Italy
Won the 1979 edition
Placing / category · 1st overall and 1st man
Published elapsed time · 7h 40m 41s
Published account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
1973
Competed in the Nile marathon after winning three consecutive national long-distance titles.
1979-07-08
The organiser lists him first overall in 7 hours 40 minutes 41 seconds.
1979-08
Finished behind John Kinsella in 9 hours 45 minutes. The exact race day is disputed.
1981-08
Won the race and earned the CSA’s fastest swim by a man award.
1990
Fundación Konex recognised his swimming career.
2009
Fundación Konex credits him with coaching 25 swimmers who crossed the Channel between 1993 and 2009.
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First recorded finish
1 more finish needed
0 of 1 recorded
Selected swimming performances appear in the English Channel record above.
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