After 60 days of continuous effort, Romanian Avram Iancu has managed to break a new record on October 31, 2018 by swimming the Black Sea, no less than 680km from Sulina to Istanbul without protection neoprene bathing suit. The record-setting librarian has thus continued from the precise spot whereof he finished swimming the Danube in 2017 (from the river’s sources in Germany until its mouth on the sea) in order to celebrate Romania’s 100th anniversary.
“It has been a very difficult race on all levels (…) This was my unique way to celebrate the Centennial in this special year when we mark 100 years since the Great Union of all Romanians. I have always wanted to deliver the message that there are values in the world that go even beyond death. And Romania does have values! For its being is millennial!” Avram Iancu said.
Born in Petrosani little town, Avram Iancu is a librarian at the city’s library, but his desire has always been to prove that, regardless of his hometown and the economic growth of the area, personal dreams are that mostly count.
“We are supporting people who have dreams and for whom there are no limits. Ordinary people plan to reach a goal and they are fighting until they achieve it,” says Zoltan Pilecki, Managing Director Studio Moderna Romania. “This year we decided to support Avram to continue his successes and to cross 680k of the Black Sea to celebrate Romania’s centennial in a very special way”, he added.
The librarian of Petrosani is also known to have crossed the English Channel on August 30, 2016, without wearing a neoprene suit, at the end of a continuous effort of 17 hours and 54 minutes in which he traveled 62 kilometres. He was the first Romanian to set this record.