View source for Joaquim Baptista Pereira

==Open Water Swimming Career==

*Pereira was the premier [[marathon swimmer]] of Portugal from 1938 until 1949. 
*Between 1953 and 1959, he swam several national and international events including the 42 km (26-mile) Nile Swim in Egypt, the 36 km (22.5-mile) Around-the-Island Marathon Swim in Atlantic City, USA, the 30 km (18.6-mile) Paris swim, the 18.5 km (11.5-mile) Ouver-Sur-[[Oise]] swim and the 100 km (62-mile) Angers-Ancenis-Nantes swim.
*He finished 9th in the 41.8 km [[Atlantic City Centennial Swim]] on 26 July 1954 in 10:16:10.
*He crossed the [[Strait of Gibraltar]] on 25 October 1953 at the age of 32 in 5 hours 4 minutes and on 22 September 1956 at the age of 34 in 4 hours 34 minutes.
*He was the winner of the 1954 [[Billy Butlin Cross Channel International Swim]] in 12 hours 25 minutes over Egypt's Hamad in 12 hours 49 minutes.
*He finished third in the 1959 race ([[Billy Butlin Cross Channel International Swim]]). 
*In l959, he claimed the European Distance record by swimming 206 km (or 128 miles) in the Tejo River in Portugal in a time of 28 hours 43 minutes (or 26 hours 12 minutes) which qualified him for the [[24-hour club]].
*He completed the Travessia de Sesimbra e da Meia-Milha da Foz
*In 1950, he swam 35 km from Alhandra to Lisboa in 5 hours 4 minutes