Gaurvi Singhvi (16) from Udaipur,India becomes world’s youngest open water swimmer to cross the English Channel

Gaurvi Singhvi (16) from Udaipur has made India proud by becoming the world’s youngest open water swimmer to cross the English Channel in 13 hours and 26 minutes last month

Starting from Samphire Hoe beach in England at 3 a.m. on August 23, Gaurvi reached Cap Gris-Nez in France by 4.28 p.m. She said, “More people have climbed Mount Everest than swum the English Channel. Open water swimming is not common in India due to the high-risk factor and the lack of exposure to adventure sports. For there to be more open water swimmers, we need proper facilities in every small town. But it also depends on the will of swimmers. I urge every one of them to try open water swimming once.”

The record for being the youngest swimmer to cross the English Channel is held by Thomas Gregory of United Kingdom, who achieved the feat in 11 hours, 54 minutes on September 6, 1988, at the age of 11.

The Channel Swimming Association has since raised the minimum age limit to 16 years.