A 70-year-old Australian grandfather has become the oldest person to swim the English Channel, celebrating his feat by having a couple of beers "for medicinal purposes".
Baldock, aged 70 years and nine months, took 12 hours and 45 minutes to swim from Dover to Cap Gris-Nez -- a straight line distance of 34 kilometres (21 miles) -- beating the previous record set by British man Roger Allsopp, who was five months younger, in 2011.
"I'm having a couple of beers for medicinal purposes only, to make myself sleep," Baldock told Australian Associated Press after he completed the swim in only a cap, goggles and trunks as Channel swimming rules dictate.