Macedonian marathon swimmer Atina Bojadzi has died at the age of 66, news from Skopje reported Wednesday.

Bojadzi died on Tuesday, MIA, Macedonian official news agency, said.

Bojadzi was a world champion marathon swimmer. She successfully crossed the English Channel in 1969, which inspired a 1975 film about her life.

After retiring from her swimming career, Bojadzi worked as a coach in a Belgrade-based club and other sports centers abroad.

Bojadzi has been named "the Macedonian Sports Giant" by the Macedonian Olympic Committee and proclaimed "the Athlete of the century in Macedonia" .