体坛英语新闻：Australian McCardel to attempt swimming across Florida Straits

HAVANA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Australian swimmer Chloe McCardel announced her intentions to swim across the Florida Straits without the protection of an anti-shark cage, Cuban media highlighted here Wednesday.

According to Radio Havana Cuba, McCardel announced her purpose without specifying a date for the test planned to be done in the " non stop category" during 60 or 70 hours.

McCardel, 27, crossed under the same conditions the English Channel separating France and the United Kingdom in 2011 and again last year.

The Florida Straits is a 90 miles wide coastal strip separating the Cuban north coast from the southern U.S. small island of "Key West", and it is considered an area full of sharks.

The last attempt to cross the straits without the anti-shark cage was occurred in 2012 by American swimmer Diana Nyad, 63. It was her fourth failed attempt to swim that water strip.

Nyad abandoned her attempt after completing over 60 miles, because of the jellyfish injuries to her skin and the extreme fatigue due the turbulent waters.

In 1997, another Australian, Susie Maroney, succeeded swimming across the Florida Straits, but she swam with the protection of a cage.