"I was in Agony!": Brianna Thompson’s Double Channel Crossing at just 17

What were you doing at 17?

Brianna Thompson was swimming the English Channel; not once, but twice, in one go. In this epic episode of Why’d You Think You Could Do That?, Sam Penny sits down with the second-youngest person in history to complete a double crossing of the Channel, and the youngest to do it three times in a single year.

But behind the headlines is a powerful story of grit, fear, identity, and resilience.

🎧 In this episode:

• The moment a teenage girl decided to swim 68km across freezing, jellyfish-filled waters
• What it really takes to train for a 22-hour endurance swim (while finishing Year 12)
• How she kept going when her shoulder seized up mid-Channel
• The mental collapse after the glory, and what it took to come back
• Why she’s setting her sights on New Zealand’s infamous Cook Strait

This isn’t just a story about swimming. It’s about choosing courage, losing momentum, and finding your way back.

If you've ever faced burnout, imposter syndrome, or that haunting question of “What next?”, this episode is for you.

🔗 Links & Resources:

• 💪 Follow Brianna’s journey: Brianna’s Channel Swims on Facebook
• 📷 Connect with Brianna on Instagram: @brianna.t17
• 🌊 Read the article at: sampenny.com/brave

🧠 Quotes to Remember:

“You're only as good as the effort you put in. The effort you put in is a reflection of how good you want to be.”
- Brianna Thompson“Bravery isn’t always the big moment. Sometimes it’s just choosing to get back in the water.”
- Sam Penny

🔔 Subscribe & Stay Brave:

New episodes every Thursday — conversations with extraordinary people who dared to say yes to the impossible.

🎧 Visit the Podcast Home Page at sampenny.com/brave
💬 Share this episode with someone who needs a dose of courage

#WhyDidYouThinkYouCouldDoThat #BriannaThompson #ChannelSwimmer #BraveryPodcast #SamPenny