Vegan conquers icy waters for historic world record
In one of the most challenging and least enticing events, a French vegan swimmer has made history at the World Championships
The International Winter Swimming Association World Cup season culminated in The Winter Swimming World Championship 2026, which returned to the frigid waters of Finland after 12 years.
The final championship of the season saw competitors swimming in sub-zero water, in pools carved out of a sea frozen under 90 centimetres of ice.
Champion Francois-Xavier Filias explained that “every stroke was a victory over the freezing void.”
The water may have been freezing but Filias was on fire this season. Francois-Xavier raced seven times and took seven wins to qualify for the World Championships. When he got there he became the most successful ever world champion, with seven golds, a silver and a bronze.
In the process, he broke records in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke. He now holds the all-time points record and is the first ever French champion.
Vegan since 2020, Francois-Xavier is fuelled by a very varied vegan diet and enjoys wraps filled with a mix of vegetables and pan-seared soya protein.
Content sourced and adapted, with permission, from Great Vegan Athletes.
About the author
Nicholas Hallows
Nicholas has been vegan since the early 2000s and worked for Viva! between 2017 and 2020 as a Senior Administrator and Web Content Assistant. He is a qualified teacher, specialising in Language and Literacy, and an accredited Proofreader and Editor. He is now a freelance writer covering topics including veganism, mindfulness and minimalism.
