HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Dec 14: Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday congratulated, Elvis Ali Hazarika, a distinguished swimmer for completing a solo swim from Elephant Island Jetty to the Gateway of India in Mumbai.
“With each new effort, swimmer Elvis Ali Hazarika sets new milestones of endurance and hardwork. Congratulations on the successful solo swim from Elephanta Island Jetty to the Gateway Of India in Mumbai. May you keep on breaking records and bring glory to the nation. My best wishes for your future endeavours,” Sonowal wrote on X.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also took the micro-blogging site X and congratulated Hazarika for achieving this feat.
“Good work Elvis ! That must have been been a tough swim, I heard about the big fishes you encountered in that stretch,” he wrote on X.
In a groundbreaking achievement, Hazarika become the first Assamese to conquer the challenging stretch from Elephanta Island Jetty to the Gateway of India in Mumbai on Wednesday.
During his solo swim, Hazarika encountered a series of obstacles, navigating through waters teeming with large fish and a myriad of jellyfish. The challenges were immense, but Hazarika’s resilience shone through as he conquered each difficulty with unwavering determination.
In July this year, the swimmer became the first from the region to swim across the English Channel both ways.
Hazarika completed the 78 km distance both ways, clocking a time of 31 hours by swimming it in relay from England’s Hampshire to Calis in France and then back.
