Slovenian reaches St. Cloud in Mississippi swim

ST. CLOUD (AP) -- Slovenian marathon swimmer Martin Strel sped into St. Cloud on Wednesday at an average 4.1 mph, his fastest day since embarking on a 66-day, 2,340-mile swim down the Mississippi River.

St. Cloud's Wilson Park, at the 350-mile mark, is one of 66 stops planned between Lake Itasca and the Gulf of Mexico. The next stop is Monticello.

Strel, 47, started his possible world-record swim July 4 and plans to finish Sept. 7, the 10-year anniversary of the United States' recognition of Slovenia as an independent country.

"We decided to celebrate in the United States," he said.

Others have swam large portions of the Mississippi, but no one has gone from the headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico, 80 miles south of New Orleans.

Despite swimming 10 to 12 hours a day, Strel said he does not feel soreness or pain until at night, when his shoulder gives him trouble.