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MEXMexicoSport:SwimmingNora Toledano Cadena is a Mexican marathon swimmer, coach and organiser whose contribution extends from individual crossings to the development of other swimmers. Her Channel career began in 1992. In 1994 she completed a two-way crossing, becoming the first Latin American woman to do so. The Channel Swimming Association records the combined swim at 23 hours 38 minutes and associates it with its Most Meritorious Swim award.
Toledano also raced on the FINA professional circuit from 1998 to 2006. Her International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame profile describes long swims in Mexico and around Manhattan, as well as the Triple Crown and completion of the Oceans Seven in 2019. Separate federation records document her Catalina crossing in 2016 and Molokai crossing in 2017, illustrating the international breadth of that later programme.
Her work on shore has been equally sustained. She helped develop organised crossing activity between Cozumel and the Maya Riviera, organised World Cup marathon swimming in Mexico and co-authored an open-water swimming book with Antonio Argüelles. ISHOF credits her with coaching, crewing for or advising more than 100 Mexican distance swimmers, alongside athletes from other countries. Inducted into IMSHOF in 2006, she joined its executive committee in 2022 and received the Poseidon Award in 2025 for her contribution to marathon swimming.
Her Channel career continued in 2025: the CS&PF results list a 6 August England-to-France swim in 11:12:00, also reported by Ellis Marine Services. The federation-hosted directory checked on 31 October 2026 lists seven successful widths across 1992–2025, including one double; the older six-crossing biography is a historical snapshot.
First Latin American woman to complete a two-way English Channel swim
Also recorded as Nora Toledano.
Crossing details, recordings & verificationSolo swim
Friday, 5 August 1994 (recorded swim date)
England → France → England
Elapsed time · 23h 38m
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.
Solo swim
Thursday, 30 June 1994 (recorded swim date)
England–France
Completed first crossing; the intended return leg was abandoned.
Elapsed time · 9h 40m 0s
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Ratification reported by source · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo swim
Monday, 11 August 1997 (recorded swim date)
England–France
Elapsed time · 11h 51m 0s
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Ratification reported by source · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Solo swim
Wednesday, 6 August 2025 (recorded swim date)
England–France
Elapsed time · 11h 12m 0s
Start clock · Clock time not confirmed
Finish clock · Clock time not confirmed
Published account checked · See the crossing record for qualifications and supporting evidence.
Open-water swimming · Solo swim
Tuesday, 23 August 2016 (event date)
California, United States
Completed mainland to Catalina.
Elapsed time · 12h 37m 27s
Ratifying body's record checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
Open-water swimming · Solo swim
2017 · exact day not confirmed
Hawaii, United States
Completed a solo crossing in July 2017.
Elapsed time · 14h 28m
Published account checked · Details and qualifications are in the career evidence.
1992
First Channel success in the IMSHOF career account.
Friday, 5 August 1994
Dover supplies the swim date; CSA confirms the two-way result.
2006
Inducted as an IMSHOF Honor Swimmer.
Tuesday, 23 August 2016
Completed a mainland-to-island crossing.
2017
MCSA lists her crossing in July.
2019
Completed the seven-swim challenge.
2022
Joined the IMSHOF executive committee.
2025
Recognised by ISHOF for contributions to marathon swimming.
Wednesday, 6 August 2025
CS&PF and the pilot service record a new solo; the directory now covers seven successful widths through 2025.
Achievements update from recorded results. A tick means the supporting results are verified.
No eligible completed results are linked yet. Link a completed result to start the achievement collection.
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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