A 38-year old Romanian from Petrosani wants to swim across the English Channel this summer, as he wants to be the first Romanian to achieve this.

The Romanian, a librarian called Avram Iancu – a name with historic ties, as it is the name of a famous revolutionary in the mid 19th century – has been training hard for his attempt. He has been running over 2,000 sqm in the mountains, and has been swimming in cold mountain lakes. He plans to continue the training session until August, when his attempt to swim across the English channel is scheduled, according to Iancu, who recently organized a press conference announcing his endeavor.

There are expenses tied to the Romanian's participation to this event: GBP 8,000, according to Avram Iancu. He does not have all the money, but plans to raise them from authorities, companies and private sponsors. The costs for this attempt include paying for a boat which will accompany swimmers across the channel.

Channel Swimming Association is the only organization allowed to organize, approve and certify any attempts to swim across the English Channel.

The Romanian man is known for practicing extreme sports, having recently organized a nigh skiing competition. He also practices martial arts and triathlon, according to Agerpres newswire.

editor@romania-insider.com