Siddhartha Agarwal Makes History: Becomes Oldest Indian to Swim Across English Channel

A swimmer from Bengaluru, Siddhartha Agarwal, made history by being the oldest Indian to swim the English Channel. He accomplished this remarkable feat at the age of 49.

According to a news release from Swim Life, on August 29, Agarwal finished the 42-kilometer swim from England to France in 15 hours and six minutes.

Siddhartha Agarwal Makes World Record

Agarwal has already crossed the Channel in 2018 as a member of a relay team consisting of eight people.

The record set by Srikaanth Viswanathan, a 46-year-old swimmer, was surpassed by this solo accomplishment. "Until I actually completed the swim, I never believed that I could actually do this," Agarwal said, looking back on his accomplishment. It took some time for me to process it."

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Siddartha Agarwal’s Journey to World Record

The journey was especially tough, with the last 10 kilometers being the hardest. Agarwal had to battle strong winds of 25 miles per hour and high tides. He credited his success to the strict training plan created by his coach, Satish Kumar, a former international swimmer. 

"I was never much of a swimmer; as a kid, I would just play around in the pool," Agarwal said. "Balancing regular swimming practice with my responsibilities as a real estate entrepreneur and family commitments was the real challenge that motivated me."

"Sid is really a man on a mission when he sets his sights on a goal," Kumar said, praising Agarwal's commitment. Even though the time period required to complete the swim was 15 hours, the preparation for this challenge required a 15-month training. We had trained and mastered every aspect of the channel before the swim."

Siddhartha Agarwal's accomplishment—being the oldest Indian to swim across the English Channel—showcases tenacity, self-control, and an unwavering desire to achieve seemingly insurmountable goals. With open water swimming becoming more and more popular in India, it is expected that many will be motivated to try it by Agarwal's achievement.

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