"We saved your leg, but we don't know, what – if any – functionality you'll ever have."

Eight years ago, after a freak accident, medical experts informed Kim Chambers that she had a 1% chance of walking unassisted again. Diagnosed with Acute Compartment Syndrome in her right leg, and a mere 30 minutes from amputation, this former classical ballerina and rower at UC Berkeley, knew she had to prove all the doctors and surgeons wrong. Despite much uncertainty and multiple surgeries, Kim spent 2 years rehabilitating her leg.

Five years ago she began to swim and has since completed numerous open water swims around the world. Kim was nominated for two consecutive years for the coveted World Open Water Swimming Association Woman of the Year Award.

All her swims follow traditional marathon swimming rules: wearing just a regular swimsuit, cap, earplugs and goggles.

On September 2nd 2014, Kim endured hundreds of jellyfish stings during a 13 hour successful crossing of the North Channel (Northern Ireland to Scotland), her 7th and last Oceans Seven swim. The Oceans Seven is the open-water swimming equivalent to the Seven Summits of mountaineering. These seven swims are chosen for particularly challenging water conditions (strong currents/cold water) with significant wildlife risks such as sharks and jellyfish. Kim is the 3rd woman and 6th person ever to complete this challenge, and proudly the 1st New Zealander.

On August 8th 2015, Kim set a new world record becoming the first woman to swim from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge braving the most densely populated Great White shark waters in the world.

Kimberley often says that her injury was the best thing to ever happen to her. She particularly loves the challenge of swimming in cold, shark-infested water.