Australian swimmer Chloe McCardel has broken the men's world record for the most swims across the English Channel after making her 35th journey.

McCardel, 35, completed the roughly 35-kilometre swim between Dover, in south east England, and northern France in 10 hours and 40 minutes on Sunday.

Chloe McCardel received an exemption from the Australia government to travel to the UK.Credit:James Brickwood

It was her fourth crossing of the channel in 16 days.

"My joints just had it. Everything's like: slow down, take a break," McCardel told reporters on Sunday.

The northern beaches swimmer last month received a travel exemption from the Australian government to travel to the United Kingdom amid the coronavirus pandemic and contest the men's record.

British man Kevin Murphy completed his 34th swim in 2006, setting the record for the number of men's crossings.

He has been beaten only by British long-distance swimmer Alison Streeter, who has made 43 crossings.

McCardel is now only the second person in history, behind Streeter, to reach 35 channel swims.

"I'm just so excited, it's a really special moment to really nudge ahead of all the men and be the second highest English Channel swimmer in history. I'm just elated," she said.

McCardel said she hoped her 35th swim would raise awareness for people suffering from domestic violence, particularly while in coronavirus lockdown.

"My thoughts are going out to everyone impacted by the COVID pandemic, especially those who are currently trapped in their homes experiencing domestic violence. An issue extremely close to my heart," she wrote on Facebook ahead of her swim.

In 2016, McCardel set a record for the number of English Channel swims by an Australian with her twentieth crossing.

Her travel exemption last month was considered to be in the national interest due to her attempt to break the record.

"I was euphoric, jumping around my house, giving high fives, it is this huge, huge burden off my shoulders," she told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age ahead of her journey.

"It's a privilege to have the opportunity to represent Australia when so many people can't travel overseas, people have loved ones they're trying to connect with or other very valid reasons and not everyone is getting an exemption."

McCardel will also be required to pay for her own hotel quarantine upon returning home.

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