NO ORDINARY MAN

When 34-year-old Neil Agius came up with the idea to swim nonstop between Sicily and Malta to raise awareness for the Wave of Change movement, those around him weren’t surprised, after all, he had already swum around Malta previously. Swimming between two countries may seem alien to most us - but Neil is no ordinary man. Neil not only exceeded in this extraordinary feat, catapulting him to overnight fame in Malta, but he also smashed all records. Dayna Clarke caught up with Neil to find out since the famous swim last month, how Neil has digested the events following and to pause and reflect upon his great achievement.

Copious jellyfish stings, cold seawater temperatures at night, no sleep and a global pandemic, didn’t put Neil off from his 32-hour swim from Sicily to Malta, one in which the physical risks far outweigh any benefits. One may wonder how anyone could prepare for such a mission, let alone surpass his planned time by several hours, perhaps a team of sports psychologists have been spurring him on? “No” Neil explains - “I spent several weeks with an indigenous tribe in the Amazon rainforest earlier this year. It was the most amazing and eye-opening experience. I learnt how people could live with no material possessions and how important spirituality is. Te tribe had all the answers they needed within the environment around them from food to medicine and so much respect for their surroundings. I had an awakening moment in which the Wave of Change project I have been involved with over the last few years, is all well and good - promoting plastic waste awareness and beach-clean ups, but it’s our atitudes to our environment that need to change.”

Neil reached Balluta Bay in St Julian’s at 9.21am of the 26th of June, a record-breaking 28 hours, seven minutes and 27 seconds afer seting off from Punta Bracceto in Ragusa, swimming front crawl throughout the day and night. Agius is technically the first person to swim from Sicily to the Island of Malta. In 1985, Nicky Farrugia swam from Sicily to Gozo in 30 hours and 17 minutes.

Troughout the swim, Neil wasn’t allowed to touch the boat; the crossing was meticulously planned and adjudicated. “I had a food break for 90 seconds every half an hour; this was a specifically designed menu by the team at Dr Juice. I had juices and energy balls. Meal planning went well. I felt the energy I had was just the right balance”. Neil’s swim took months of planning and preparations, and with COVID-19 thrown into the mix, it wasn’t sure if he would get the go-ahead to proceed. “Once we got clearance to go, we kept a close eye on the weather, I didn’t know which exact day it would be, we just had to keep our eyes peeled for the optimum weather conditions and make a decision to go for it. I have had the full support of my family, although of course - like everyone, my mum was very worried!” Neil explains he could not have achieved the crossing without such support, and that of his team, for which he is exceptionally grateful.

What did he focus on throughout? “For me, it was important not to think about the negatives or how much longer is lef; I tried my best to keep a clear mind, and stay in the present situation, not focus on what’s next. I found this way the time passed very quickly, and I was well ahead of my planned schedule. Te hardest part was at night, not only because the sea temperature dropped, but I also started to become disorientated, and swim back towards Sicily.”

Does Neil feel he achieved what he set out to do? “Yes,” Neil replies “In terms of the swim it couldn’t have gone beter. With regards to awareness, we are slowly starting to break the ice.” Despite the COVID restrictions, hundreds of people arrived to greet Neil as he entered Malta, amidst a media frenzy. “I had no idea so many people were going to turn up, let alone all the media atention. I hope it helped raise the need for further educational awareness when it comes to pollution, the sea and the need to take care of our environment. I am truly grateful for public support. Tough I can say - I am not done yet, I am already thinking of what my next challenge may be and how to keep moving forward with Wave of Change!” It seems this won’t be the last time we will hear the name, Neil Agius.

#Waveofchange is a movement seeking to rid Malta from single-use toxic plastics by bringing together athletes, swimmers, and environmentalists to raise awareness about this problematic material.

Photography by Kurt Arrigo