Balasaheb Ghadge, Rajiv Trivedi Cross The Palk Strait
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Balasaheb Ramchandra Ghadge and Rajiv Trivedi set the fastest crossing for an assisted swim across the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka in 12 hours 31 minutes. The 50-something duo completed their tandem swim in 2011.
Ghadge is a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mumbai while Trivedi is the Additional Director General of Police. The police officers were respectful of the crossing.
“The most difficult thing was not being able to see anything. Apart from being scary, this leads to a sense of disorientation. The only point of reference remains the light of the support boat. The danger in the sea is mostly from sharks, snakes, jellyfish and other poisonous bugs. We used an imported electronic shark repellent device which was hung from the support boat. I kept praying to Lord Ramnathaswamy to bring us back safely to Rameswaram. My wife Udaya and my sons Prasoon and Prashant, who are all good swimmers and athletes, too, were a tremendous source of strength for me,” said Trivedi.
Ghadge was also appreciative of the help he received with 3 escort boats manned by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, “I owe my success to all my colleagues and seniors.”
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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