Prabhat Raju Koli, a student of Atomic Energy Junior College in Mumbai, India, continues to travel the world, tackling one channel at a time.
The 17-year-old added the Catalina Channel to his list of impressive marathon swims today with a 10 hour 30 minute crossing.
With Sally Minty-Gravett from Jersey and his father Rrkoli Koli as his coaches, he aims to complete the Oceans Seven that will embellish a career that has taken him to complete the 81 km India National Open Water Swimming Competition in Bhagirathi River in west Bengal, five competitions in the Arabian Sea, a 66 km circumnavigation around Jersey Island in 10 hours 11 minutes, a crossing of the English Channel in 13 hours 14 minutes, and six swims in South Africa including the Robben Island swim and a swim around the Cape of Good Hope.
He has seen more dolphins, jellyfish, seals, sunfish and other marine life in more bodies of water than most teenagers his age – and many others his senior.
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.