Dina Levačić is an open-water swimmer who became only the 23rd person ever to have completed the gruelling Oceans Seven Challenge. Her achievement, as the youngest woman to have successfully undertaken the O7, has won her a place in the Guinness World Records. Dina’s feats of endurance have seen her... Read more
Dina Levačić is an open-water swimmer who became only the 23rd person ever to have completed the gruelling Oceans Seven Challenge. Her achievement, as the youngest woman to have successfully undertaken the O7, has won her a place in the Guinness World Records. Dina’s feats of endurance have seen her swim distances of up to 55 miles in temperatures as low as 12 °C, while battling against the elements. Dina’s extraordinary success is a result of a combination of factors: bravery, mindset, resilience, teamwork, leadership, and peak performance.
Dina learnt to swim when she was just four years old on the Croatian Island of Ist, Croatia,. Five years later, she competed in her first open-water challenge – and never looked back. Dina has competed in many World Aquatics (formerly FINA) Grand Prix events, including the Hernandarias-Parana Marathon which, at 88 km, is the longest open-swim race in the world. She is a holder of both the Original Triple Crown and the Triple Crown, achieving the latter, which involves crossing the English Channel, the Catalina Channel and a circumnavigation of Manhattan Island, when she was just 21 years old. She is only the sixth person ever to complete it in under 90 days.
The discipline of open-water swimming is a gruelling endeavour. Its high-performance athletes endure seasickness, night swimming, marine predators, strong currents and extreme temperature change in the water. Mental strength is paramount in order to vanquish self-doubt, fear and uncertainty, and Dina’s achievements are a direct result of her ability to keep her body in total lockstep with her brain, both in the run-up to a race and its duration.
Dina’s achievements are a result of her ability to combine the physical with the mental. She undergoes rigorous training 365 days of the year and has created a mindset that enables her to push through the pain barrier, be it cramp, nausea or jellyfish stings, and swim for over ten hours at a time. These include the ability to break up a single, large goal into smaller ones, set aside her emotions and the ability to plan meticulously at the head of her team.
Dina, who has a degree in Rehabilitation Sciences, is currently studying for a PhD at the University of Split, focusing on sport medicine and psychology. She is an advocate for children with disabilities, mental health and the environment, using her endurance swims as a platform to raise both awareness and funds for these issues. Dina was inducted as an Honour Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2025 and holds three National Honours for her sporting achievements and charity work in Croatia.