Blind marathon swimmer, James Pittar, has swum from Malabar to Bondi during Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi 2011 to raise funds for The Fred Hollows Foundation’s sight restoring work around the globe.

Over half a million Sydneysiders are expected to complete the coastal walk between Bondi and Tamarama to view this year’s Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. Those attending on Sunday 13 November had the opportunity to look out towards the ocean and cheer James on as he completed the epic 12km swim.

Pittar, a veteran of numerous ocean swims, wanted to share his latest challenge with as many people in his home city as possible.

“A lot of my greatest swimming challenges have taken place overseas, so I really wanted this swim to be local and very public,” says Pittar. “I’m therefore so thrilled that the people behind Sculpture by the Sea have been so supportive in allowing me to complete the swim at the same time as such an iconic event.

“These swims are about achieving something very special that many people couldn’t achieve, whether they have their sight or not. But the thing that really drives me is that I’m supporting an organisation that is actually restoring sight.

“There are millions of people around the world who are blind simply because they cannot afford an operation that costs as little as $25 in some developing countries.”  

James Pittar was not born blind. He suffers from a genetic disorder called Retinitis Pigmentosa, which causes a degeneration of the retina.  He was diagnosed with this disease at the age of sixteen. He became legally blind at 21 years of age and completely blind by his early 30s.

As a direct result of his declining vision, James focused his sporting efforts in the fields of swimming and rowing and during the 1990s represented Australia in both sports as a disabled athlete.

In the mid 1990s, James decided to swim the English Channel and was successful on his first attempt in 1998. He then went on to successfully complete some of the most difficult marathon swims in the world over the next ten years including the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, The Strait of Gibraltar, New Zealand’s Cook Strait and the Catalina Channel.

In 2010, his accomplishments were recognised when he was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. He was also awarded Kur-ring-gai Citizen of the Year in 2000.

Support James

It's not too late to support James' efforts. People wishing to support him can donating to The Fred Hollows Foundation through James’ personal fundraising page.