This week his parents Elisabeth and Josef Seirer, of Cornishtown, were ecstatic – and relieved – to learn their only son conquered the English Channel at the age of 57.

“I’m so proud of him,” said Mrs Seirer on Thursday after learning Rick had finished the swim the previous night in just under 12 hours.

“I can’t believe it myself. ‘I couldn’t sleep at all last night; it’s just so exciting.

“A man came up to him after the swim, shook his hand and gave him a rock and some sand but Rick couldn’t understand what he was saying because it was in French.”

Mr Seirer’s swim has been officially recorded by the Channel Swimming Association (CSA), formed in 1927 to authenticate cross-channel swims and to verify crossing times.

To date, 1404 successful solo swims have been recorded by the CSA; to put that feat in context more people have climbed Everest.

Given the fastest swim is recorded at just over seven hours and the slowest nearly 27 hours, Mr Seirer’s 12-hour effort is pretty impressive.

It’s a bit more impressive once you learn he only took up triathlons in his fifties to stay fit outside the office.

But his achievement doesn’t surprise his mum.

“Rick is pretty strong in himself and he’s pretty strong-minded – if he sets his mind to do something, he does it,” said Mrs Seirer, 76.

“He certainly doesn’t get his swimming skills from me; I’m a lousy swimmer.”

Mr Seirer, who lives at Maryborough, Victoria, flew over to the UK on September 12 with his wife Julie, a midwife, and daughter Bridgette.

The pair acted as his support team, nutritionists and official photographers during the gruelling swim.

He has previously swum The Rip, a notorious stretch of water that connects Port Phillip and the Bass Strait.

With fast and unpredictable tides, a shipping lane and abundant sea life, swimming The Rip is “to tick the biggest bucket list swim in Australia”.

In fact more people have swum the English Channel, states website riprace.com.au.

Mrs Seirer, who was glued to Rick’s Facebook page in the lead-up to the crossing and during his swim, was yet to speak to her son on Thursday.

The tech-savvy grandmother posted her own updates on Facebook, asking friends and family for their prayers ahead of the adventure.

And no one was more relieved and ecstatic when news came through that Rick had made it safely to shore.

“I am begging him to answer the phone now,” Mrs Seirer said.

“He’s my champion.”