A 19-year-old Alberta woman鈥檚 inspiring attempt to swim the full 106-kilometre length of Okanagan Lake ended early due to medical complications, but not before she made a powerful impact.
Robyn Coleman, originally from Wainwright, Alta., began her ambitious journey Sunday afternoon in Vernon, hoping to reach the shores of Penticton by Tuesday evening.
Her goal was to become the first woman to swim the entire length of the lake while raising funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and setting a Guinness World Record in the process.
Coleman, a pediatric stroke survivor, suffered a stroke at age 12 and credits distance swimming as a key part of her recovery. Her swim鈥攄ubbed Robyn鈥檚 Strokes for Stroke 鈥 Swim for Heart and Stroke Foundation鈥攚as her most ambitious yet, both physically and emotionally.
Unfortunately, Coleman was forced to suspend the attempt midway through the lake after experiencing a series of seizures on Monday evening. Despite a 24-hour delay and attempts to resume, her team announced she would not continue the swim due to ongoing medical concerns.
鈥淩obyn has continued to experience seizures even while out of the water and fully rested,鈥 said spokesperson Katie Wallace. 鈥淲hile she was swimming an incredible three kilometres per hour鈥攚ell on pace to set the record鈥攈er safety must come first. We will revisit plans to tackle the record once her health has been thoroughly addressed.鈥
Despite not completing the swim, Coleman nearly doubled her fundraising goal of $10,000, raising more than $18,000 for stroke research.
鈥淗er family and the entire team are immensely proud of her strength, courage, and determination,鈥 Wallace added.
Coleman remains undeterred and has already committed to trying again, with hopes of becoming the first woman to swim the lake鈥檚 full length.
To date, only two men have completed the feat: Nick Pelletier in 2024 (just over 71 hours) and Adam Ellenstein, who holds the current Guinness World Record of 40 hours, 57 minutes, and 11 seconds, set in 2016.
In a pre-swim interview, Coleman explained her motivation: 鈥淚f I finish the swim, I鈥檒l be the first woman to have completed the full length of Okanagan Lake. The Guinness World Record I鈥檓 going for is the fastest woman. There are currently no entries because no other woman has completed it, so I hope to set the new record.鈥
She had been training seriously for over two years.
鈥淚 swam competitively as a teen, and in my last season, I read about a guy named Nick Pelletier who swam the entire lake. I told myself, 鈥業 want to do that.鈥 I made a commitment to complete it before I turn 20鈥攕o here I am.鈥
Now based in Edmonton, Coleman developed a passion for open water swimming during family vacations in the Okanagan Valley. She set her sights on the swim at age 17, viewing it as both a personal challenge and an opportunity to give back.
鈥淩aising money for Heart and Stroke and possibly getting into the Guinness Book are incredible bonuses,鈥 she said.
Coleman was misdiagnosed at the time of her pediatric stroke, which delayed treatment. She emphasized the need for better support systems for young stroke patients, particularly in rural areas with limited access to imaging technologies like CT and MRI.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a gap in stroke diagnosis and support for children,鈥 she said. 鈥淒espite being misdiagnosed, I was lucky that my stroke was mild鈥攂ut there鈥檚 still a lot of room for improvement in care.鈥
Swimming helped her rebuild physical fitness and regain trust in her body. Her support team鈥攑arents Crystal and Mark, brother Conner, and her maternal grandparents鈥攁ccompanied her in boats throughout the attempt, offering food, rest, and encouragement.
Although disappointed, Coleman remains committed to her mission.
鈥淚f I fall short, I鈥檒l definitely try again next year,鈥 she said.
Donations to support her cause are still being accepted at .