RECORD ALERT! 16-year-old Jiya Rai becomes world's youngest and fastest para swimmer to cross English Channel

Jiya Rai, a 16-year-old from Mumbai with Autism Spectrum Disorder, has made history by becoming the youngest and fastest para swimmer to cross the English Channel.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Jul 29, 2024, 10:34 PM IST | Last Updated Jul 29, 2024, 10:34 PM IST

Jiya Rai, a 16-year-old from Mumbai with Autism Spectrum Disorder, has made history by becoming the youngest and fastest para swimmer to cross the English Channel. On July 28-29, Jiya completed the challenging swim from Abbot's Cliff in England to Pointe de la Courte-Dune in France in an impressive 17 hours and 25 minutes, covering a distance of 34 kilometers.

Jiya, the daughter of Madan Rai, an MC-at-Arms in Mumbai, received accolades from the Western Naval Command (WNC) for her remarkable 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) wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"Jiya, a 16 years old girl with Autism Spectrum disorder, is the daughter of Madan Rai, MC-at-Arms, serving at Mumbai. She has many inspiring achievements to her credit, including swimming across the Palk Bay earlier," the WNC added.

Jiya, despite her disabilities, is on a remarkable quest to become the world's youngest para swimmer to complete swims across all seven oceans.

Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a condition that influences how individuals interact, communicate, learn, and behave, Jiya has demonstrated extraordinary determination and skill.

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, completing the journey in 11 days, 22 hours, and 13 minutes. Notably, she was both the youngest and the only female participant on the team.

On March 20, 2022, Jiya achieved a significant milestone by swimming across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar (Sri Lanka) to Dhanuskodi (India). She covered the 29-kilometer stretch in a record-breaking 13 hours and 10 minutes, making her the youngest and fastest female swimmer to complete this crossing.

Jiya's accomplishments were recognized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 'Mann Ki Baat' episode on February 18, 2021. Her records are officially listed in the Asia Book of Records and the India Book of Records. Additionally, she has earned medals in both national and state open-water sea swimming championships.

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