Belgian soldier Davy Billiau has accomplished the extraordinary feat of swimming the entire length of Belgium’s coastline, although he is now in intensive care for severe hypothermia following the gruelling effort.
Billiau, a diver and bomb disposal expert with the Belgian Navy, undertook the challenge as part of his 'Wave of Hope' initiative to raise funds for the Wensambulance charity, which fulfils the final wishes of terminally ill patients.
He began his swim at 06:30 a.m. on Tuesday in De Panne, crossed Ostend by midday, and arrived in Knokke-Heist during the night. Despite completing the 67-kilometre route in 18 hours and 48 minutes, he fell three minutes short of breaking the record set by swimmer Marieke Blomme.
Throughout his journey, Billiau was accompanied by a support vessel from his military unit and aided by lifeguards from the beaches of Koksijde and De Haan.
While he swam under mostly favourable conditions, the weather turned against him in the final hours. “We couldn’t control this, of course,” his trainer explained. “Davy was already cold upon reaching Ostend and had entered a state of hypothermia. By 10 p.m., the weather worsened with a headwind adding to the challenge.”
By the time he reached Knokke-Heist, Billiau’s condition had deteriorated significantly. “His body temperature was 31 degrees Celsius, and he was suffering from cardiac arrhythmia and low oxygen levels. He was immediately taken to hospital,” his trainer reported. Doctors have indicated that Billiau will remain in intensive care for a few more days. “This achievement under such conditions demonstrates immense character and extraordinary perseverance, but his recovery is the priority right now,” he added.
During the swim, Billiau paid tribute to his late parents—one of the motivations behind the challenge—by laying two white roses on the water near Zeebrugge, before continuing his journey.
