He braved icy waters, unpredictable weather and jellyfish stings to clock the fastest time for completing the gruelling Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. All for a good cause.

In just 23 days, Dr Chua Jia Long, a Navy doctor, completed the gruelling 115km Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. He is the first Singaporean to conquer this challenge.

While his personal goal was to complete the quest in 14 to 17 days, weather conditions particularly at the English Channel made this impossible.

Dr Jia Long completed each leg with impressive timings:

• Catalina Channel (32.2km): 11 hr 17 min 2 sec
• 20 Bridges, Manhattan Island (48.5km): 7 hr 56 min
• English Channel (33.7km): 12 hr 41 min

Beyond achieving a new world record, Dr Jia Long’s bigger goal is to raise S$1.5 million for the patients of St Luke’s Hospital. 

Professor Tan Boon Yeow, CEO of SLH shared that Dr Jia Long’s motivation was birthed at the hospital, where, as a medical officer in 2020, he witnessed how the medical team journeys alongside patients through pain, uncertainty and healing. “Through this swim, he seeks to share their struggles and raise funds to support their journey of recovery,” said Prof Tan.

Dr Jia Long on his experience 

How was the challenge?

“Each of the swims presented different challenges. With the Catalina, the distance and duration of swimming in the dark (seven to eight hours in nighttime) was a mental challenge, coupled with the numerous and frequent jellyfish stings.

Catalina may be beautiful but its waters teem with jellyfish. Dr Jia Long braved stings as he swam.

Dr Jia Long after completing the first leg: Catalina.

The Catalina Channel: First of three triumphs.

“With the 20 Bridges, the first couple of hours were challenging as it happened to be rainy and windy. Other than that, was a busy waterway and there were times when we had to push hard and fast to avoid getting caught waiting behind ferries and cruises.

Dr Jia Long swimming the 20 Bridges route around Manhattan Island.

“The English Channel was a long waiting game, I could not swim in the original window of 14-20 September as the wind conditions were unsuitable and we extended our stay with no promises but in the hopes of clear weather.

Dr Jia Long and his team meeting the crew on board the boat Pathfinder at 1am. Photo by Kelvin Lee.

“Ultimately, the swim on the 27th was only confirmed three days before the start and by then, autumn had officially started, days were shorter and the weather had gotten colder. That made the Channel even more daunting.”

Which was the hardest to conquer?

The English Channel was the longest swim and it had a bit of everything: Innumerable jellyfish, night swimming (as we started at 2am when the weather was favourable), busy waterways (we saw migrant boats crossing the channel), cold waters (started at 15.8 degrees and slowly got up to the low 17s in the afternoon).

Temperature of the waters of the English Channel.

What went through your mind when you knew you broke the record?

Relief and joy, I became physically ill (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea) after the English Channel swim and didn’t get a chance to really celebrate this with my loved ones. Right now, I’m still trying to process the experience while recovering from the English Channel swim.

Below is a video of Dr Jia Long swimming the English Channel:

The beginning of a next chapter

Prof Tan told Salt&Light: “We give thanks to God for His journey mercies upon Jia Long throughout the swim, and for blessing us with a community that has come together in such a collaborative spirit.

“Though this chapter of the journey has concluded, by His grace it marks the beginning of the next chapter He has prepared for us — for indeed, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’.” (Philippians 4:13)

Dr Jia Long has already achieved his personal milestone, and the finish line is also drawing close for the public fundraising for SLH. As of September 29, the campaign has already raised over S$900,000, and will continue to run till 31 October 2025.

The public can support the campaign here.

About the work of St Luke’s Hospital

Over the years, SLH has taken paths that brought little financial return, and at times even resistance from the community, yet these were essential to staying true to their purpose and calling.

One clear example is palliative care. From its inception, they felt called to serve the dying. Yet, there was fear, stigma, and even opposition from those who worried about property values if a facility for the dying was built nearby.

It took 20 years before SLH opened its first palliative ward. Even then, funding was less than what rehabilitation or subacute services received, and the hospital’s staff had to undergo significant upskilling to manage the unique needs of palliative patients.

The teams works hard to discern the times, to anticipate shifts in healthcare policy, and to prepare for the evolving needs of their patients. 

Since COVID-19 arrived in 2020, the pace of transformation has been relentless. In the span of five years, there have been more policy reforms, new models of care, and systemic shifts than in the previous two decades.

Singapore’s population continues to age rapidly. More people are living longer, but with multiple chronic illnesses and complex conditions. Families struggle with caregiving. Expectations of healthcare are rising. Funding models are shifting. And new needs will emerge tomorrow that we cannot yet foresee today.

But SLH keeps moving forward though the waters are not predictable, but because their faith is firm.

Click here to support Dr Chua Jia Long’s campaign for SLH.

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