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55 hours in the water: Polish swimmer crosses Baltic Sea from Sweden to home country

EuroNews · 🇫🇷 public France · · 581 words · By Agata Todorow
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What to know about Human Perseverance

Bartłomiej Kubkowski has pulled off an extraordinary feat, becoming the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland in 55 hours, covering 160 kilometres.

Claims checked 13
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center88%
Right12%

8 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Bartłomiej Kubkowski has pulled off an extraordinary feat, becoming the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland in 55 hours, covering 160 kilometres.

Why it matters

The swimmer set off from Sweden on Friday, making a fifth attempt to take on one of the toughest challenges of his career.

Common ground

On Sunday evening he reached the Polish coast, where crowds of supporters were waiting for him.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/2026/08/04/55-hours-in-the-water-polish-swimmer-crosses…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 13 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
schedule Pending 3
help Insufficient Evidence 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
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Claim 1: “Karolina Szczepaniak also set out to try to swim across the Baltic.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Karolina Szczepaniak attempting to swim across the Baltic.
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Claim 2: “making a fifth attempt to take on one of the toughest challenges of his career.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including Google News and a specific report on the swim, explicitly state this was his fifth attempt.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bartłomiej Kubkowski (born 1995) is a Polish marathon swimmer. In 2026, he became the first person ever to swim across the Baltic Sea, a distance of over 160 kilometres (99 mi).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartłomiej_Kubkowski
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Events in the year 2026 in Poland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_Poland
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web search NEUTRAL — Kubkowski completes historic swim across the Baltic in fifth attempt. 2 hours ago.Polish Swimmer Becomes First Person to Swim Across the Baltic Sea: 160 Kilometers and 55 Hours Non-Stop. Yesterday.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…
+ 2 more evidence sources
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Claim 3: “The swimmer set off from Sweden on Friday... On Sunday evening he reached the Polish coast”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (Notes From Poland, Euronews, and another web result) confirm he set off from Sweden on Friday and arrived on the Polish coast on Sunday evening.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — On Sunday evening, an exhausted Kubkowski clambered onto the beach in the town of Dziwnów on Poland’s northern Baltic coast, around 56 hours after he had set off from Kaseberga in Sweden on Friday.
https://notesfrompoland.com/2026/08/02/pole-becomes-first-pe…
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web search NEUTRAL — On Sunday evening, Bartłomiej Kubkowski walked onto the shore in Dziwnów after swimming 160 kilometres uninterrupted from Sweden to Poland, setting a world record, and raising close to €200,000 for th…
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/08/04/hallucinations…
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web search NEUTRAL — Kubkowski began his journey from Kaseberga on Sweden's southern coast on Friday and arrived at Dziwnów in Poland roughly 55 hours later after swimming approximately 160 kilometres across the Baltic Se…
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/polish-swim…
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Claim 4: “Her attempt ended after 58 hours in the water, when she was still about 40 km from the Polish coast.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 5: “He came closest to his goal in 2025, when he covered around 159 kilometres and spent 53 hours in the water.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that in 2025 he came closest to the goal, covering approximately 159km in 53 hours.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Polish long-distance swimmer Bartłomiej Kubkowski has successfully swum across the Baltic Sea, completing a gruelling journey of more than 160 kilometres in around 55 hours.
https://www.britishpoles.uk/polish-swimmer-bartlomiej-kubkow…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Over the years he gradually improved his performance and gained the experience needed to complete such a demanding route. He came closest to his goal in 2025, when he covered around 159 kilometres and…
https://www.aol.co.uk/articles/55-hours-water-polish-swimmer…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Long-distance swimmer Bartłomiej Kubkowski has crossed the Baltic Sea, covering more than 160 kilometres in approximately 55 hours.
https://polanddaily24.com/polish-swimmer-bartlomiej-kubkowsk…
schedule
Claim 6: “Her goal was to reach Pobierowo and support the treatment of 14-year-old Piotr Małolepszy.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 7: “Bartłomiej Kubkowski has pulled off an extraordinary feat, becoming the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland in 55 hours, covering 160 kilometres.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The claim is directly confirmed by a Wikipedia entry for Bartłomiej Kubkowski and corroborated by multiple news sources (Notes From Poland, Euronews) stating he was the first to swim from Sweden to Poland, covering 160km in approximately 55 hours.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Events in the year 2026 in Poland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_Poland
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bartłomiej Kubkowski (born 1995) is a Polish marathon swimmer. In 2026, he became the first person ever to swim across the Baltic Sea, a distance of over 160 kilometres (99 mi).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartłomiej_Kubkowski
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Search with Microsoft Bing and use the power of AI to find information, explore webpages, images, videos, maps, and more. A smart search engine for the forever curious.
https://www.bing.com/
+ 2 more evidence sources
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Claim 8: “Kubkowski first took on the challenge in 2022, but had to stop after 115 kilometres.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results specifically mention that his first attempt was in 2022 and that he covered 115km during that attempt.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Events in the year 2026 in Poland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_Poland
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bartłomiej Kubkowski (born 1995) is a Polish marathon swimmer. In 2026, he became the first person ever to swim across the Baltic Sea, a distance of over 160 kilometres (99 mi).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartłomiej_Kubkowski
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Kubkowski first attempted the crossing in 2022, when he swam 115km in 32 hours. He came closest to success last year, covering 159km over 53 hours before the attempt was called off after he lost consc…
https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7790/artykul/3715226,polish-…
+ 2 more evidence sources
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Claim 9: “is the initiator of the Ultra Baltic Swim project.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources identify him as the founder or initiator of the 'Ultra Baltic Swim project'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Bartłomiej Kubkowski has pulled off an extraordinary feat, becoming the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland in 55 hours, covering 160 kilometres.
https://www.euronews.com/2026/08/04/55-hours-in-the-water-po…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Bartłomiej Kubkowski upon arriving in Poland. Under the name "Ultra Baltic Swim Project," he has been swimming across the Baltic Sea since 2021 to raise funds for children battling cancer. TVP reporte…
https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news_id=N100869057…
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web search NEUTRAL — Kubkowski holds the world record for 24-hour swimming and is a multiple Polish and world championship medallist. He is also the founder of the Ultra Baltic Swim project. He was not the only swimmer at…
https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7790/artykul/3715226,polish-…
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Claim 10: “Kubkowski dedicated his success to the beneficiaries of the Cancer Fighters foundation, for whom a fundraiser was organised during the challenge.”
CORROBORATED
Euronews reports he raised close to €200,000 for the fight against cancer, and another source mentions the 'Ultra Baltic Swim Project' raised funds for children battling cancer.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Start your fundraiser in minutes with tools to help you succeed. GoFundMe is the global leader in crowdfunding, trusted by 100+ million people.
https://www.gofundme.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Buy fresh doughnuts to sell at your event: buy your doughnuts for your fundraiser ahead of time then go out and sell doughnuts to your community to collect your profits for your cause or organization.
https://www.krispykreme.com/fundraising/home
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Start a fundraiser for what you're passionate about. With over $40 billion raised, GoFundMe is the most trusted online fundraising platform for crowdfunding.
https://www.gofundme.com/c/start
schedule
Claim 11: “holds a Guinness World Record for 72 hours of uninterrupted swimming.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 12: “The Olympic swimmer, who competed at the Beijing and London Games”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding Karolina Szczepaniak's Olympic history.
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Claim 13: “The Pole holds the world record for 24-hour swimming”
CORROBORATED
Confirmed by his own professional profile on TrainingPeaks and corroborated by other web search reports stating he holds the world record for 24-hour swimming.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Polish long-distance swimmer Bartłomiej Kubkowski has successfully swum across the Baltic Sea, completing a gruelling journey of more than 160 kilometres in around 55 hours.
https://www.britishpoles.uk/polish-swimmer-bartlomiej-kubkow…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — My name is Bartłomiej Kubkowski - open-water swimmer, endurance athlete, and professional coach. I hold the World Record in 24-hour swimming, completing one of the most extreme endurance challenges on…
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach/kubkowski
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Long-distance swimmer Bartłomiej Kubkowski has crossed the Baltic Sea, covering more than 160 kilometres in approximately 55 hours.Kubkowski holds a world record in 24-hour swimming and has won numero…
https://polanddaily24.com/polish-swimmer-bartlomiej-kubkowsk…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.