Markovich Completes 25-Mile Swim at Verdugo Park

The longest distance a high school swimmer can compete in during a competition with their school’s team is 500 yards.

Edie Markovich made that distance look like something she does in her sleep.

Saturday, the 15-year-old swam 25 miles, the equivalent of 500 yards back-to-back 88 times with only a few brief pauses to grab a quick bite to eat in the pool at Verdugo Park. In the end, Markovich, swam 25 miles in just under 11 and a half hours, finishing at approximately 4:56 p.m. She began at 5:30 a.m.

“It was actually a really good day and I finished faster than I expected. Overall it was great,” Markovich said after her swim.

Long distance swimming isn’t something new to Markovich, but this was the first time she had done it in a pool.

“It’s mentally harder because it is so repetitive. I felt super strong in the beginning and at the end I was totally defeated,” said Markovich, who is a college student at California State University, Los Angeles.

Markovich also received a large number of food donations for her swim, which will go to help the Burbank Temporary Aid Center.

“I did not imagine that people would bring that much food,” Markovich said. “It is insane. I’m ecstatic about it.”

On hand to help support Markovich at the end was Diego Cevallos, the deputy director of Burbank Parks and Recreation.

“Edie came to us with this wonderful idea of trying to do something to help feed the hungry in a time where it is really tough for folks financially,” Cevallos said. “She wanted to fulfill a personal goal, but at the same time look at an opportunity to help the community. She teamed up with our aquatics management team and put out a really well-thought-out event that was well received by the community. It also helps her accomplish her goals of being a world-class athlete.”

Asked what she planned to eat after burning a lot of calories.

“Probably sushi or something like that. I’m starving so I will eat anything,” she said.

Markovich said this may not be the last time she has a long swim in Burbank.

“I hope this can become an annual thing,” she said. “That would be really cool.”