Maine woman, 71, becomes oldest to swim across the Sea of Galilee

May 10 (UPI) -- A 71-year-old Maine woman with multiple Guinness World Records titles added a new accomplishment to her name by becoming the oldest woman to swim the length of the Sea of Galilee.

Pat Gallant-Charette, 71, a retired nurse from Westbrook, plunged into the water in Israel and swam 13 miles across the Sea of Galilee with a time of 8 hours and 22 minutes.

Gallant-Charette is now believed to be the oldest woman to ever swim the length of the Sea of Galilee.

"I'm out for these swims to have fun and to show that as we age, we don't have to really slow down, that if you enjoy something, go for it," Gallant-Charette told WCSH-TV.

Gallant-Charette previously earned Guinness World Records titles including the oldest person to achieve the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and the oldest person to swim the North Channel.