Follow Coach Adina Through Boston Harbor.

Link will be live on July 20 starting at 5:30 am.

Swimming for a First: The Backwards Boston Light Fundraiser

The Challenge:

On July 20, 2026, local swim instructor and endurance athlete Adina O’Neill made history. She is the first person to tackle the Boston Light Swim, the oldest marathon swim in the U.S., entirely on her back. To make this “epic backstroke attempt” even more fitting, she is reversed the traditional route, swimming 8 miles from South Boston out to the Boston Lighthouse.

The swim was observed by the Massachusetts Open Water Swimming Association (MOWSA). Adina followed strict marathon swimming protocols including:

No wetsuit (standard swimsuit only)
No contact with the support boat or other people
No use of music players while in the water

Relive the Journey, The Challenge And The Achievement

Coach Adina took on one of New England’s most memorable open-water swimming challenges, the Boston Light Swim, a journey that represents dedication, endurance, preparation, and a true love for the sport.

Her accomplishment is more than simply reaching the finish line. It reflects the countless hours of training, the mental strength required to take on the open water, and the determination to push beyond what may seem possible.

At Team BREAL, we are proud to celebrate Coach Adina and the incredible achievement of completing the Boston Light Swim. Her journey is an inspiration to swimmers, athletes, and anyone working toward a goal that requires commitment, courage, and perseverance.

Explore photos and videos capturing Coach Adina’s incredible Boston Light Swim journey.

The Mission

Turning Laps into Lessons Adina believes that the water is a place of magic and healing, but for many, it remains out of reach.

As an instructor at the Stoughton YMCA, she sees firsthand the courage it takes for adults to face their fears, from a 70-year-old learning to float to a mother finally joining her children in the water on vacation.

Your Impact

We believe everyone deserves to find their "magic" in the water.

This epic swim raised $5,358.00 which will go directly toward scholarships for adult learn-to-swim participants who cannot afford private lessons.

Thank you for all of your donations and support!

Donation Levels

Dolphin: $315 Funds a 5 pack of lessons to build life-saving confidence.
Otter: $65 Provides a single introductory lesson for a fearful adult
Fish: Any contribution helps us remove the financial barrier to water safety for our neighbors.

I’m not paid to say that. I’m sponsored because it’s true.

It’s pretty cool that the goggles that never fog were built by a dad trying to help his daughter see clearly mid-race.

That’s Maritonia’s story. And as of this month, I’m honored to be one of their sponsored athletes.

I’ve swum over 75 miles backstroke since January in these goggles. Not one fog-up. Not once.

Meet Our Sponsor

Maritonia was founded by Deng, a surgeon. His daughter was a competitive swimmer, and her goggles fogged up so badly she’d have to stop mid-swim and lick the lenses to see.

One day it clicked – could the anti-fog technology from endoscopes work in swim goggles? He started building them himself.

From the earliest prototypes to scratch-resistant lenses, through iteration after iteration, Maritonia came to be with one core belief: see clearly.

Our Partners

Meet Coach Adina O’Neill

Adina is the founder and head joy coach at Team B*REAL, an endurance sport community for athletes of any size, color, identity, age & ability. Team B*REAL provides swim and triathlon coaching, group workshops, and online courses for athletes at every stage of their fitness journey. Adina and her team focus on building a supportive, judgment-free community where clients feel empowered to try new things, dream bigger, and achieve more than they ever imagined.

Adina is the author of Forward Is A Pace, is certified through US Masters Swimming, World Open Water Swimming Association, USA Triathlon, IRONMAN, Women Are Not Small Men, and is a volunteer coach for Special Olympics MA. She specializes in coaching women through the menopause transition, swimmers exploring new distances and triathletes looking to improve swim technique and efficiency.

Adina swims year-round at Nantasket Beach in Hull, MA where she began her triathlon journey and has prepared for multiple ice and marathon swims. Her favorite endurance memories include the Paris Marathon, Ironman Mont Tremblant, the 200m free in frozen Lake Memphremagog, and back-to-back 10Ks at Swim to the Moon. Adina enjoys traveling, eating cereal, listening to live music with her husband, and spending time with her 2 adult children and their yellow lab Mel.