On Friday, Australian professional surfer Blake Johnston set a new world record for surfing the longest wave, which was over 30 hours long.
He broke down in tears as he beat the previous record holder, South African surfer Josh Enslin.
Hundreds of people cheered as Johnston surfed against the sharks and other marine life in Sydney’s Coffs Harbour.
He was supported by a crowd of spectators who lined the beach to watch his incredible journey. Before he went back to the water, Johnston thanked the crowd for their support.
Despite his condition, Johnston said he was still committed to his goal of surfing the longest wave. His attempt began at dawn on Thursday using large spotlights.
Due to the warm weather in Sydney, the water temperature at the beach was hovering around 24 degrees Celsius.
For his record attempt, Johnston wanted to raise money for mental health and a foundation that he established after his father committed suicide 10 years ago. He initially planned on running a thousand kilometers, but he decided to focus on surfing instead.
He said he believed he could do it. He planned on taking on various challenges throughout his journey, such as sleep deprivation and infections in his ears.
Ben, Johnston’s brother, said they had been preparing for the possibility of an attack, but it didn’t occur.
During one of their early morning surf sessions, they came across a huge group of sea creatures, including a huge number of jellyfish. It was Johnston’s first time participating in a human endurance test.
In 2020, Johnston ran 100 kilometers along Sydney’s rugged coastline, which he mostly covered in just his bare feet.