Fremantle swimmer Simone Blaser has become the first person in the world to swim the entire length of the Upper Ord River in Kununurra, Western Australia.

The 45-year-old South African-born swim coach set off from the Lake Argyle Dam at midnight on Saturday, a head torch strapped to her swimming cap, and swam 54km to the Diversion Dam.

She completed the swim in 16 hours and 13 minutes, raising more than $8,000 for WA charity Swim for Refugees in the process.

“When you push your limit and step out of your comfort zone – that’s where you find the magic,” said Simone of her historic swim.

“And boy, did Mother Nature really turn it on up there. We experienced the most breathtaking sunrise and to just swim in such uncharted waters felt truly special.

“My body feels a bit broken at the moment, but those memories will last a lifetime.”

​Born in South Africa, Simone moved to Switzerland at the age of eight. However, it wasn’t until she emigrated to Australia in 2008 with her partner Danny that she discovered her love for open water swimming.

She has since taken part in the Rottnest Channel Swim in teams and duos and completed multiple solo crossings, while her swimming resume also includes the 26km Lake Zurich Marathon (Switzerland) and Palm to Shelly Beach (New South Wales) swims.

In 2022, when the Port to Pub was cancelled amid the pandemic, Simone took all her months of training to the Swan River where she completed her own ultra-marathon “Lizzie to Lefty”, swimming from Elizabeth Quay to The Left Bank, Fremantle, in 8 hours and 15 minutes. She finally got to complete the official 25km Port to Pub ultra-marathon the following year.

Her 54km swim in Lake Kununurra, as it is known locally, is her biggest swim to date – and perhaps the most nerve-wracking due to the possibility of an encounter with one of the local crocodiles.

“Yes, we saw a few freshwater crocodiles, but they quickly scurried away to the riverbank and left us in peace!

In preparation for her swim, Simone swam up to 50km a week, with her training peaking with a gruelling eight-hour session in the pool. However, she said knowing she was swimming for a good cause kept her motivated.

Swim for Refugees is a volunteer organisation that was set up in Perth in 2016 to teach refugees and asylum seekers to swim. The organisation runs men’s, children’s, and women’s only classes and hosts an activity centre for youngsters while their parents learn to swim.

“Many people who come to WA seeking shelter and refuge come from places where they’ve never had the opportunity to learn to swim,” said Simone. “Swim for Refugees helps welcome these people to Perth, gets them involved with their local community and teaches them the critical life-saving skill of swimming, giving them an opportunity to embrace the lifestyle here safely and without fear.”

Simone first met the team from Swim for Refugees at Fremantle Leisure Centre, where she works as a customer service officer alongside running swim retreats around Australia under the banner Swimwild Escape.