The sun had yet to fully rise as swimmers entered the water and spectators gathered. At 7 a.m., the swimmers took off and the growing crowd cheered in support. The benefits of years of river cleanup initiatives finally came to fruition.
“It was amazing. I mean really — water temperature was great, no waves, no current,” Tom Cashman, a long time swimmer, said after finishing the swim. “It’s really like swimming in a swimming pool.”
Sunday, Sept. 21, marked the return of organized open water swimming in the Chicago river since 1927.
More than 250 swimmers participated in eight categories. For the female 1-mile portion, two-time Olympic swimmer and 14-time world champion Olivia Smoliga took first place in the “no wetsuit” category of the race, and Jessica Achtstatter took first place in the wetsuit category. For the 2-mile swim, Becca Mann took first in the wetsuit category and Liz Spears won the wetsuit category.
In the male 1-mile portion, Levy Nathan took first in the no wetsuit category, and Joe Higgins got first in the wetsuit category. In the 2-mile portion, Isaac Eilmes won the no wetsuit category, and William Sindewald won the wetsuit category.
Organizers noted that the river has always played an integral role in the city — and was the reason the first non-indigenous people settled here nearly 250 years ago.
“It’s so special. … The Chicago River is really the reason Chicago is here in the first place,” said Doug McConnell, co-founder of A Long Swim, a nonprofit organization that benefits ALS research and swimming lessons for at-risk youth.
McConnell’s father died from ALS and in 2006, his sister Ellen was diagnosed with the same condition. In 2011, McConnell and his sister founded A Long Swim.
The group launched the Chicago River Swim as a fundraiser. However, last year, the group held the race in Lake Michigan after city officials, citing safety concerns, denied the permit needed to hold the event in the river.
“Its pretty daunting. Obviously our focus has really been on safety, so I think we’re really borrowing from other events … to be able to really make a top-notch, very safe event,” McConnell said.
Cleanup of the Chicago River has been a decades-long process. Stronger environmental regulations and improved pollution control by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District have helped to improve the river’s condition over time.
Advocacy groups like the Friends of the Chicago River also have promoted conservation and have educated people about the importance of not only protecting the river, but the environment as a whole.
“It takes energy,” said James Montgomery, an environmental science professor at DePaul. “People have to be convinced that cleaning up the river is worthwhile to them, whether it’s for personal or public enjoyment — so swimming, fishing, boating, but also for other reasons.”
The Chicago River Swim is the most recent fundraiser that A Long Swim has organized, but they’ve been doing events since 2011. They have donated some funds raised for ALS research at Northwestern University’s medical school.
“The progress they’re making is just so exciting — to be able to think that one day we’ll meet an ALS survivor,” McConnell said.
As part of the weekend long build-up to the race, Olympic bronze medalist Natalie Hinds met with young swimmers and their families from the Kroc Center, a Chicago community center. Hinds, a swimmer from Texas, won gold at the 2022 U.S. National Championships in the 100-meter freestyle. She’s also a USA Swimming Foundation Ambassador.
“When I was growing up, I had some role models growing, but there are very few that looked like me,” said Hinds, one of a growing number of Black swimmers who’ve won Olympic medals for the United States. “It’s really exciting, and I love meeting people and understanding why they love swimming and what got them interested in it because it’s such a great sport.”
Related stories:
- DePaul Club Water Polo has positive outlook with increase in players
- DePaul men’s soccer honors Chase Stegall’s memory
- Chimaev comes out on top as the UFC returns to Chicago
Support Student Journalism!
The DePaulia is DePaul University’s award-winning, editorially independent student newspaper. Since 1923, student journalists have produced high-quality, on-the-ground reporting that informs our campus and city.
We rely on reader support to keep doing what we do. Donations are tax deductible through DePaul's giving page.