how old was thomas gregory when he swam the english channel

February 25, 2026 • 1 min read

Thomas (Tom) Gregory was 11 years old when he swam the English Channel, just a few weeks short of his 12th birthday.

Different reputable sources give slightly different figures for his precise age in days on the date of the swim, 6 September 1988.

These sources variously state that he was 11 years and 330 days , 11 years and 333 days , or 11 years and 336 days old at the time.

All major accounts agree that Tom Gregory’s 1988 crossing made him the youngest person ever to swim the English Channel solo.

Later, an age limit of 16 years was introduced for officially recognised swims, so his youth record cannot now be broken.

"Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere." — This philosophy guides my writing and exploration of ideas.