Former Tokoroa resident David Edgar swam across the Cook Strait last Thursday to raise funds for children with dyslexia - a challenge he wanted to complete for over a decade.
Edgar completed the swim in 8 hours, 47 minutes and 44 seconds, covering a distance of 44km.
He said that he was “totally stoked and absolutely humbled by the support”.
The proceeds of his journey will be distributed between Marlborough Boys’ College in Blenheim and Tokoroa High School.
“I’m Tokoroa born and bred, I’m really proud of that. Now I’ve ended up in Marlborough and my boy goes to Marlborough Boys’ College,” Edgar said.
“I chose to donate to children with dyslexia because I struggle with it myself.
“The key thing is that those with challenges, we’ve just got to crack on and keep pushing ourselves.”
Edgar said that he’s completed plenty of challenges within his lifetime.
“I’ve done this sort of thing since I was 5 years old. I’ve represented New Zealand in triathlon at about four world champs.”
Other adventures have included the Hawaii Ironman World Championship, ultra-endurance running and the 2018 Apolima Strait International Open Water Marathon Swimming Competition. That’s just to name a few.
Edgar has recently earned a Doctor of Philosophy in sleep and recovery while juggling his professional responsibilities as a Major in the New Zealand Army.
“With challenges, the military have been pretty supportive of what I do. I get good support from New Zealand Defence Force,” he said.
“I’m in charge of trainers with the Defence Force. I combine lots of things at the same time.”
He credits his military experience with pushing his go-getter attitude towards his studies.
Edgar thrives on challenging both his mind and body, living by his philosophy - don’t be scared to fail.
He said that if you just keep at it, it’s amazing what you can achieve.
Edgar’s swim across the Cook Strait is a testament to his commitment to making a difference for those in the same boat as himself.
“We all face struggles. This is my way of showing them that it’s just about readjusting what you do,” Edgar said.
“There [was] definitely a few nerves because it [was] a big one. You never know what you’re going to face on the Cook Strait.”
It’s worth noting that Edgar hasn’t faced these challenges alone, thanks to the support of his friends and family.
Before the swim, Edgar said he hoped for an eight or nine-hour swim - a goal well achieved.
To contribute to Edgar’s fundraiser, visit givealittle.co.nz/cause/cook-strait-swim-we-on
Jesse Wood is a multimedia journalist based in Te Awamutu. He joined the Te Awamutu Courier and NZME in 2020.
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