16-Year-Old Jiya Rai Becomes World’s Youngest Para Swimmer to Cross English Channel
Ms. Rai swam the English Channel from Abbot’s Cliff in England to Pointe de la Courte-Dune in France, completing the 34-kilometer journey in 17 hours and 25 minutes between July 28 and 29.
Jiya Rai, a 16-year-old from Mumbai with Autism Spectrum Disorder, has set a record as the world’s youngest and fastest para swimmer to cross the English Channel. She accomplished this remarkable feat on July 28-29, swimming from Abbot’s Cliff in England to Pointe de la Courte-Dune in France. Rai completed the 34-kilometer journey in 17 hours and 25 minutes.
She is the daughter of Madan Rai, an MC-at-Arms serving in Mumbai. The Western Naval Command (WNC) congratulated Jiya Rai on her impressive achievement.
“All personnel of WNC convey their heartiest congratulations to Jiya Rai for becoming the world’s youngest and fastest female para swimmer to successfully swim solo across the English Channel,” the Western Naval Command (IN_WNC) posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Jiya, a 16-year-old girl with Autism Spectrum Disorder, is the daughter of Madan Rai, MC-at-Arms, serving in Mumbai. She has many inspiring achievements to her credit, including swimming across the Palk Bay earlier,” the Western Naval Command (WNC) added.
Despite her disabilities, Jiya Rai is on a mission to become the world’s first and youngest para swimmer to swim across seven oceans.
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological and developmental condition that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave.
In December 2022, she swam 1,100 kilometers as part of a six-member relay team from Mumbai to Goa and back to Vasai Fort in 11 days, 22 hours, and 13 minutes, becoming the youngest and only female participant on the team.
According to the WNC, Jiya Rai swam across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar (Sri Lanka) to Dhanuskodi (India), covering a distance of 29 kilometers in a world record time of 13 hours and 10 minutes on March 20, 2022. With this achievement, she became the world’s youngest and fastest female to swim across the Palk Strait.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned Jiya Rai during his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ episode on February 18, 2021, and her records have been documented in the Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records.
She has also won medals in national and state open-water sea swimming championships.
