Scottish world-record holding swimmer completes loop of Arab islands

A Scots three-time world record swimmer has successfully swum around a cluster of islands in Dubai.

Andy Donaldson, 34, joined Saudi Arabian swimmer Mariam Saleh bin Laden to circumnavigate The World islands, a total of 15.5 miles (25km) on Thursday February 13.

The World islands are manmade and are so named because of their design, which looks like a map of the world.

Starting at 2am, they swam together through the night and into the afternoon, finishing the clockwise loop in 10 hours, 41 minutes and 23 seconds.

The swimmers are pictured against the Dubai backdrop PA Media

Organised by Dubai International Marine Club and the Dubai Sports Council, they began in the Oceania area of the islands, crossing the finish line at 12.44pm.

Mr Donaldson, of Irvine, North Ayrshire, is a three-time world record holder, including the fastest swim around Manhattan Island, New York – 27.9 miles (45.9km) in five hours 41 minutes.

He praised the organisation and safety provided by the Dubai Sports Council.

“The level of support, professionalism and world-class organisation for this swim was outstanding,” he said.

“Dubai’s waters fly under the radar as an open-water swimming destination, but they are clean, safe and offer incredible opportunities for more endurance swims and events.

“This region has all the makings of a global hub for open-water swimming and I’m excited about the potential to continue building something special here with Mariam.”

Ms Saleh bin Laden also has completed a number of swimming challenges, including an 18.6 mile (30km) swim from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain in December 2024.

She said their swim around The World islands was not only for their own personal athletic achievements, but to emphasise the importance of protecting the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) waters.

She said: “This swim was about much more than endurance. It was a platform to advocate for ocean health and inspire greater participation in open-water swimming, particularly among women in the region.

“I want young women here to know that with hard work and belief, they can achieve anything.

The swimmers took on the 25km loop around The World islands in Dubai PA Media

“I am also incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share this with world-class international athletes like Andy, to have them experience the beauty of our waters and see first-hand the hospitality, generosity and world-class support we have here in the UAE.

She added: “We couldn’t have done this without the incredible support of the Dubai International Marine Club and Dubai Sports Council.

“Their involvement allowed us to bring this vision to life, and we’re grateful for their help in making this possible.”

The two ultra-marathon swimmers have said they now plan to take on more challenges in the Dubai region, with the goal of inspiring communities, promoting ocean health and establishing the Middle East as a premier location for open-water swimming.