First Asian Para-Swimmer from Gwalior Crosses the English Channel

Satendra Singh in a swimming pool.

(Photo: Satendra Singh/Facebook)

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj

In an incredible feat, 29-year-old Satendra Singh becomes the first Asian Para-swimmer to cross the English Channel in the Atlantic Ocean.

He completed the challenge within 12 hours 26 minutes.

Singh who is from Gwalior was a part of the swimming relay team which, for the first time saw four para-swimmers from India cross the English Channel.

The English Channel, also called The Channel, is a narrow arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the southern coast of England from the northern coast of France and tapers eastward to its junction with the North Sea at the Strait of Dover.

The 29-year-old swam 36 km in the Arabian Sea in 5 hours and 43 minutes last May.

Satendra, who is a recipient of the Vikram award, the highest sports award in Madhya Pradesh, has unsurprisingly won several medals in national and international swimming competitions.

It feels very good because he has earned a name not only for Gwalior but for the whole country. He holds a master’s degree and is very intelligent. He has won around 30 competitions out of which two are international and seven are national competitions.

Satendra Singh’s brother to ANI

The specially-abled swimmer who suffers 75 percent disability also represented India in the Rio Paralympics in 2016.