After a warm-up, he began swimming butterfly — going up and back, up and back, up and back — 100 times.
All in all, by the time he finished his 100 laps, he had completed 60 km of swimming during the month of March.
He has been taking part in the Laps For Life fundraiser, which helps raise money for youth mental health charity ReachOut Australia.
The University of Melbourne medical student has been fundraising with his water polo team — they have raised more than $2000 together, with Mr Etherington raising more than $700 on his own.
“We tried to do it last year but had to abandon it due to COVID,” he said.
“Doing placements with GPs up here you see the youth mental health problems and want to help."
His teammates have been swimming in Melbourne, but Mr Etherington said he had been touching base with them online.
Playing water polo and having a swimming background helped him power through the 60 km.
“Most of it was freestyle, but I said for every dollar I raise between $500 and $600 I'd do a lap of butterfly,” he said.
“I used to like butterfly, but I'm not so sure I do now after swimming 5 km of it in a row.”
Head to lapsforlife.com.au/fundraisers/jamesetherington/lapsforlife to donate.
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