Mumbai: City girl Swapnali Yadav is not
nicknamed 'Little Mermaid' without a reason.
On October 18, the Andheri girl, who will turn 11 next
month, became the youngest ever in swimming history to
complete the 10km Bermuda Round the Sound Open Swimathon in
the Atlantic Ocean.
Swapnali completed the 10 km distance in 3 hours 52
minutes and 21 seconds to become the first Indian to win a
gold medal in the U-12 category.
Her achievement will find a mention in the next edition
of Limca Book of Records. However, this is not the only
astonishing feat she has achieved.
Swapnali, who became the youngest ever in open World
Swimming Marathon history at eight years and seven months, had
on September 1, 2007 stretched 30 km across Messinikos Gulf in
Greece to qualify for the Limca Book of Records 2008-09.
"There is a lot more to achieve. I hope to attempt
significant challenges," she told reporters here.
Swapnali has set her eyes on her next target -- the
English Channel.
"It's a very icy place and hence difficult to swim. It
takes at least 7-8 hours to complete a distance of 12-km. But
whosoever completes the distance have their name imprinted on
a rock there. I want my name etched over there," she said.
Representing the country in the Olympics is also on her
priority list.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, November 03, 2009, 19:09