Chennai Teen Boy Conquers English Channel In International Relay
Akhilesh now joins the elite list of young Indians to have conquered one of the world's most challenging open-water swims.
Published : August 2, 2025 at 9:43 AM IST
Chennai: In a remarkable display of endurance and determination, 14-year-old Akhilesh Sundaram from Chennai successfully swam across the English Channel as part of a six-member international relay team.
The team had swimmers from India, Bangladesh, and Russia. They completed the 42-km crossing from Dover in England to Calais in France in 12 hours and 10 minutes, braving the cold waters at approximately 16°C on July 29.
The swim was part of a coordinated relay attempt. The achievement marked a major milestone for the young swimmer, who has been training rigorously for over two years at a swimming centre in Velachery, Chennai.
Returning to a warm reception at the Chennai Airport, Akhilesh said, “I trained hard for this dream, but surprisingly, I found the Channel easier to cross than expected. I owe this achievement to my father, my coach, and the support from Tamil Nadu's sports department.”
He also extended his gratitude to the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for their encouragement.
Guganathan, who trained Akhilesh, expressed pride in the young swimmer’s achievement: “ We trained him in water temperatures close to those in the Channel at the swimming training centre in Velachery, Chennai. His dedication over the past two years made this possible.”
Akhilesh said he is planning to undertake more endeavours that could make his state and country proud.
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