Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Dr. Nick Olmos-Lau informed us of the passing of Daniel "Carpayo" Carpio of Peru. Carpio, who was 99 years old at the time of his death. Daniel was deservedly inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2005.
He was the first South American to cross the English Channel in 1947 in 14 hours 46 minutes) and attempted the Strait of Gibraltar at the ages of 77 and 83 years.
Carpio participated in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, the 1936 Berlin Olympics and the 1948 London Olympics. He also crossed the English Channel in 1951 during the famous Daily Mail Race, finishing in 13 hours 50 minutes. He crossed the Río de la Plata in 1945 - and in 1977 and 1982 when he was 72 years old. He held national titles in Chile and Argentina. The National Swimming Pool in Lima, Peru is named after him. He crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in 1948, 1977 and 1988 (when he was 78 years old).
In 1947, he was awarded the Order of the Sun as a Great Master by the President of Peru and the Recognition Award by the Peruvian Institute of Sports.
His epitaph reads "Daniel Carpio died. A swimmer who crossed the English Channel".
Photo from the ANDINA archives.
Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association
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