Briton Lewis Pugh reached his sport's "Holy Grail" on Friday when he became the first person to complete a long-distance swim in the world's five oceans.

Pugh plunged into the water at Bondi Beach and around six hours and 19 km (12 miles) later raised his arms in celebration before spraying champagne in front of Sydney Opera House.

"It feels great," Pugh said. "The Pacific was the most forgiving of the five oceans but it was still an arduous swim." Pugh started his bid in 1992 when he swam across the English channel in the Atlantic Ocean and only last week crossed the Indian Ocean's Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa to complete the fourth leg.