Sports Untold Stories / Phillip Rush

Mark Watson on Sport

Sports Untold Stories / Phillip Rush

A stunning interview with one of New Zealand's most underrated athletes. Phillip Rush is the current world record holder for the triple (28 hr 21 mins) and double crossing(16 hr 10 min) of the English Channel. He has swum the English Channel ten times and the Cook Straight eight times. Mark and Phillip discuss him growing up in Dunedin, swimming at St Clair Beach and being coached by legendary Duncan Laing. You will hear about Phillip racing professionally around the world in the 1980's including marathon distance swims in North Americas great lakes, swimming the polluted waters of Naples in Italy to telling the story of him putting his hand through a floating dead donkey while racing down the Nile in Egypt. The interview discusses his world record crossings of the English Channel and the mental fortitude required.