American endurance swimmer Diana Nyad has finally completed her 35-year quest to become the first person to swim from Cuba to the US without a shark cage.

"I have three messages: one is we should never ever give up; two is you are never too old to chase your dreams; and three is it looks like a solitary sport but it is a team.”

Those were Nyad’s words 53 hours and 110 miles after jumping off the seawall at the Hemingway Marina in Havana, as she staggered on to the beach on Florida’s Key West.  It was just before 2:00 PM local time.

US President Barack Obama congratulated the 64-year old on the achievement, tweeting: “Never give up on your dreams.”

What set this apart from her earlier attempts in 1978, 2011, and 2012 was her gear:  This time, she wore a full bodysuit, gloves, booties and a mask which gave her more protection from the stinging jellyfish that populate the water of the Florida Strait.

Australian Susie Maroney successfully swam the Strait in 1997 with a shark cage, which some claim has a drafting effect that pulls a swimmer along.

In 2012, Australian Penny Palfrey swam 79 miles toward Florida without a cage before strong currents forced her to abandon the attempt.  And in June of this year, stinging jellies put an end to Aussia Chloe McCardel’s bid after just 11 hours and 14 miles.