Andrew Donaldson (born 10 February 1991) is a Scottish-Australian marathon swimmer and advocate for mental health, ocean conservation, and water safety.
He is the first person to complete the Oceans Seven marathon swimming challenge within a single year and has broken multiple world records, including for the circumnavigation of Manhattan Island and the Cook Strait crossing between New Zealand's North and South Islands.
In 2023, Donaldson was named World Open Water Swimming Association Man of the Year and received the organisation's Performance of the Year award. In 2026, he was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
Early life and career Growing up in West Kilbride, Scotland, Donaldson started swimming with the North Ayrshire Amateur Swimming Club at age seven. He attended Largs Academy for secondary school before graduating from Loughborough University in 2012.
In 2013, he relocated to Perth, Western Australia where he pursued professional swimming before later working in accounting and finance.
After failing to qualify for major international teams, Donaldson retired from competitive swimming in 2016. During this period, he experienced mental health challenges while completing his Chartered Accounting studies and working in finance. He later took a career break to travel overseas and during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, worked as a volcano tour guide in Nicaragua.
Donaldson returned to Perth in 2020 and resumed swimming to improve his physical and mental well-being. There, he co-founded Swimclan with Martin Smoothy to help adults improve their swimming, health, and confidence in the water.
In 2021, Donaldson returned to competitive marathon swimming by winning the 19.7 km Rottnest Channel Swim in Western Australia. In 2022, he set a course record in Tasmania's 34 km Derwent River Big Swim and won the 25 km Palm Beach to Shelly Beach Swim in Sydney.
Oceans Seven In August 2022, Donaldson announced his goal of completing the Oceans Seven challenge within a single calendar year. He completed the challenge in 355 days, becoming the first person to achieve the feat within one calendar year while setting multiple national and world records.
The campaign also raised funds and awareness for the Black Dog Institute and mental health initiatives.
Donaldson began his challenge by swimming the English Channel in 8 hours, setting a new British record. He later became the first Scottish male to complete a solo swim of the North Channel, from Ireland to Scotland.
In March 2023, he set a new world record for New Zealand's Cook Strait crossing, completing the 22 km swim in 4 hours, 33 minutes and 50 seconds.
During the campaign, Donaldson encountered difficult environmental conditions, logistical challenges and physical exhaustion. Following his crossing of Hawaii's Molokai Channel (Kaiwi Channel), he was hospitalised due to severe throat swelling. Despite this, he continued the campaign and later set British records for both the Strait of Gibraltar and Catalina Channel crossings.
Donaldson completed the Oceans Seven challenge in July 2023 after successfully crossing Japan's Tsugaru Strait. +Swims of the Oceans SevenDateSwimRouteDistanceTimeRemarks2022-08-07English ChannelEngland to France33 km08:00:00 British record2022-09-19North ChannelIreland to Scotland34 km09:13:57 British record2023-03-07Cook StraitSouth Island to North Island (New Zealand)22 km04:33:50 World record2023-04-18Kaiwi ChannelMolokai to Oahu (USA)45 km15:51:00 2023-05-20Strait of GibraltarSpain to Morocco14.4 km02:56:00 British record2023-07-11Catalina ChannelCatalina Island to Los Angeles (USA)32.3 km09:22:52 British record2023-07-27Tsugaru StraitHonshu to Hokkaido (Japan)19.5 km13:04:30
Later Marathon Swims In July 2024, Donaldson participated in the inaugural Epic Swim Maui expedition, completing the 220 km circumnavigation of Maui over 14 days alongside a team of international marathon swimmers. The event was organised to promote awareness of ocean health and sustainability .
On 19 September 2024, Donaldson broke the world record for the circumnavigation of Manhattan Island, completing the 45.9 km swim in 5 hours, 41 minutes, and 48 seconds.
In April 2026, Donaldson completed the 55 km Ord River Dam to Dam swim in Western Australia's Kimberley region, swimming from Lake Argyle Dam to Swim Beach near Kununurra's Diversion Dam in 11 hours, 51 minutes and 27 seconds, setting a new course record. Media coverage of the swim highlighted the logistical and environmental challenges of the route, including the presence of freshwater crocodiles.
Charity Work and Advocacy Donaldson is an advocate for mental health awareness, sustainability, and open-water swimming. Many of his marathon swims have supported charitable and community initiatives.
His Oceans Seven campaign raised funds for the Black Dog Institute, and he has supported mental health organisations including the Kai Eardley Foundation, of which he is an ambassador.
In October 2023, Donaldson successfully completed a 33 km swim from Rottnest Island to Elizabeth Quay in Perth to raise funds for Telethon and the Perron Institute for Neurological Science. He repeated this challenge in 2024 and 2025.
Awards and Recognition
World Open Water Swimming Association - Man of the Year (2023) World Open Water Swimming Association - Performance of the Year (2023) International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame - Honouree (2026) Health & Fitness Association Awards - Lifetime Achievement Award (2026)
Notable Swims and Achievements +DateSwimRouteDistanceTimeRemarks2018-02-11Busselton Jetty SwimAround Busselton Jetty3.6km42:14Solo Winner2021-02-20Rottnest Channel SwimCottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island (Australia)19.7km4:04:30Solo Winner2022-03-26Derwent River Big SwimNew Norfolk Bridge to Tasman Bridge (Australia)33.5km5:35:21Course Record2022-04-09Palm to Shelly SwimPalm Beach to Shelly Beach (Australia)24km6:05:00Solo Winner2022-08-07English ChannelEngland to France33km8:00:00British Record2022-09-19North ChannelIreland to Scotland34.5km9:13:57British Record2023-03-06Cook StraitSouth Island to North Island (New Zealand)22km4:33:50World Record2023-04-18Kaiwi ChannelMolokai to Oahu (USA)45km15:51:002023-05-20Strait of GibraltarSpain to Morocco14.4km2:56:00British Record2023-07-11Catalina ChannelCatalina Island to Los Angeles (USA)32.3km9:22:52British Record2023-07-27Tsugaru StraitHonshu to Hokkaido (Japan)19.5km13:04:302023-10-22Team Andy's Swim for TelethonRottnest Island to Elizabeth Quay (Swim-Run-Swim)33.3kmN/A2024-07-07Epic Swim MauiCircumnavigation of Maui (USA)220km14 days2024-09-1820 Bridges Manhattan Island SwimManhattan Circumnavigation CCW (USA)45.9km5:41:48Former World Record2024-10-07UltraSwim 33.3 UltimateLustica Bay to Lazure (Montenegro)33.3km10:04:062024-10-20Team Andy's Swim for TelethonRottnest Island to Elizabeth Quay (Swim-Run-Swim)33.3kmN/A2025-02-13World Islands DubaiWorld Islands Circumnavigation CW (UAE)24km10:41:232025-04-25Bahrain Swim ChallengeBahrain Circumnavigation CCW - Team of 4 Relay170km59:59:00World Record2025-10-03Ibiza Swim ChallengeIbiza Circumnavigation CW - Team of 2 Relay104km30:57:49World Record2025-10-19Team Andy's Swim for TelethonRottnest Island to Elizabeth Quay (Swim-Run-Swim)33.3kmN/A2026-03-21Port to Pub SwimLeighton Beach to Rottnest Island25km6:06:472026-05-28Ord River Dam to Dam SwimLake Argyle Dam to Kununurra Diversion Dam55km11:51:27Course Record
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