She Made it - the Youngest South African Woman to Swim the Channel
18-year-old Amber-Rose Berry has become the youngest South African woman to swim the English Channel. Her successful crossing raised funds for student-athlete scholarships at the Ukukhula Institute.
Why it matters
This achievement highlights individual athletic excellence and the use of sports for social impact and educational fundraising.
DOVER, England, Aug. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Supported by the CMO Council and other boosters, 18-year-old Amber-Rose Berry of Pringle Bay, near Cape Town, has made history as the youngest-ever South African woman to swim the iconic English Channel.
She completed 33 km on what is known to be one of the world’s most grueling open-water crossings, in just 10 hours 27. (This remains unofficial until her time is ratified.) And she did so while battling strong currents, painful jellyfish stings and waves from the massive wake of a ship.
Besides making a new record for Amber-Rose, the swim has already raised over $7,000 for a fundraising campaign to help support the Ukukhula Institute in Makhanda, to provide scholarships for disadvantaged student-athletes from Eastern Cape high schools to attend Rhodes University.
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