13-yr-old para-swimmer completes 64-km two-way Palk Strait crossing

Chennai: Defying the odds, 13-year-old Ishaan S from Chennai has become the first and youngest S14 national para-swimmer to complete a two-way crossing of the Palk Strait, covering 64 km in 18 hours and 50 minutes. The young swimmer, who has been diagnosed with intellectual disability, autism and ADHD, began his journey from Dhanushkodi in India to Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka and back at 5 pm on September 29. He completed the swim at 11.50 am on September 30, his mother, 39-year-old IT engineer A Sharmila, said.

The feat has been recognised by the World Book of Records, London, which awarded him a record certificate. Sharmila said they were also in the process of applying for recognition from the Guinness World Records. Ishaan has steadily progressed in long-distance open-water swimming, she said. Before taking on the Palk Strait challenge, he completed a 10-km sea swim in Kochi and a 5-km sea swim in Goa. In the S14 category, the teenager has a strong competitive record. Over the past two years, he has won eight gold and two silver medals at national and Tamil Nadu state-level para-swimming competitions.

Besides his achievements in swimming, Ishaan has developed professional-level skills in inline skating, yoga, table tennis and badminton, his mother added. The Palk Strait challenge was monitored by Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) observer Sathish Udhayakumar and event observer Maria Rodger Fernando. Ishaan trained under sea-swimming coaches Gopi C, Selvam R, Karthik G and Saravanan D, according to Sharmila.

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