The 17-year-old Daniel Smyth is now the youngest person to swim across the North Channel alone, from Northern Ireland to Scotland.

In order to achieve the Irish Triple Crown, he is currently focused on swimming the Fastnet in County Cork, having already finished the Galway Bay swim earlier this month.

Daniel wants to do the three swims in the quickest amount of time and become the youngest person to complete the challenge.

He acknowledged that his concentration on swimming had barely begun to improve his water polo skills, but he quickly developed a taste for distance swimming.

He participated in the youngest group of swimmers to cross the North Channel, which is approximately 35 km, between Donaghadee, County Down, and Portpatrick, Scotland, in September of last year. He then became the youngest person to finish the swim in July, clocking in at 12 hours and 26 minutes.

He hopes to finish this month's Fastnet, a 20.5km swim from Fastnet Rock to Baltimore Pier in County Cork. He finished the 10.5km Galway Bay swim on August 30 in two hours and thirty-one minutes.

The Abbey Grammar School student's training schedule requires him to drive early in the morning to pools in Craigavon, Dundalk, and Banbridge before his day at school because the Newry pool is now closed.

Daniel claimed to have avoided jellyfish stings during his solo swim, despite the fact that many channel swimmers face them. He described the currents as a more difficult obstacle.

He claimed that he had to fight a current for three hours as he got closer to Scotland.

"I was swimming well with a bit of a wind behind me at the start, but then we hit the currents with about six hours to go. At six kms, Scotland doesn't look all that far away, it was right there but I knew I'd get through it eventually even if it took a bit longer than I'd have liked."

Daniel thanked his North Channel seasoned coach Keith Garry for his encouragement and making sure he was ready.

He said to have celebrated the swim with a milkshake and burger, and he was overjoyed to see a video of Olympic swimmer Daniel Wiffen applauding him.

"So I'm focused on the Triple Crown at the minute, and my A-levels which are also very important, I am told," he continued.

"Then university and I'll see what other challenges come up.

"If I see something that sounds pretty cool, I'll probably give it a go."

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