Estonian swimmer Merle Liivand broke a Guinness World Record for the third time when she swam a distance of 18.6 miles wearing a monofin. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records
Aug. 4 (UPI) -- An Estonian swimmer celebrated her 30th birthday by swimming 18.6 miles with a monofin and breaking a Guinness World Record.
Merle Liivand donned the monofin -- a swimming fin resembling a mermaid's tail -- in Miami Beach, Fla., and went swimming for 9 hours and 19 minutes to achieve the record-breaking distance of 18.6 miles.
Liivand previously held the record in 2019, when she swam 6.2 miles with a monofin, and in 2020, when she swam a distance of 12.8 miles.
Liivand said her record-breaking swim was aimed at raising awareness of marine pollution.
"There's too much trash on the beach. Pick up your trash," she told Guinness World Records.