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WEEKLY NEWS 2: Boy Makes Historic Swim

A fourth grader swam the chilly and sometimes shark-infested waters of San Francisco Bay on Monday, becoming the youngest in history to complete the 1.4-mile trek between Alcatraz Island and San Francisco. Johnny Wilson, a nine-year-old boy from Hillsborough, California, raised $30,000 for Katrina victims in the process.

Johnny was accompanied by two adult swimmers, two kayakers and a Coast Guard helicopter patrolling overhead. He completed the swim in less than two hours, and was met at the shore by cheering friends, family and teachers. Johnny admitted that the hardest part of the swim had been the beginning, when he felt very cold in the 53-degree water.

Johnny had been training on the Bay for many months, and recently decided to ask family and friends if they would like to sponsor his swim with a donation to the Red Cross. He hopes to be an Olympic swimmer when he gets older.

--Written by Patricia Daniels

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