Elvis Ali Hazarika Becomes First Assamese to Complete English Channel Relay Swim

GUWAHATI: In a landmark achievement, renowned open-water swimmer Elvis Ali Hazarika has successfully completed a relay swim across the English Channel, becoming the first Assamese to do so. The gruelling expedition, which began at 1:30 AM, took 13 hours to complete and marks the 14th sea crossing of Hazarika's illustrious career.

“With a lot of hard work, I have finally become the first Assamese to swim the English Channel in relay mode... It was extremely tiring, the swim, the overall endeavour. Joi Aai Axom,” Hazarika stated after the successful crossing. This achievement adds to Hazarika’s growing legacy in open-water swimming. In July 2023, he became the first person from Northeast India to complete a two-way crossing of the English Channel, swimming 78 km from Hampshire (England) to Calais (France) and back, clocking a total of 31 hours in the water. Looking ahead, Hazarika is preparing for what he describes as the most daunting expedition of his life, ice swimming in Antarctica. If successful, he would become the first swimmer from Asia to accomplish this feat.

Speaking about the mission earlier this year, Hazarika called it a “test of physical and psychological endurance.” The expedition will require over a month of acclimatisation with no access to land transport, relying solely on ships. He will be accompanied by a full medical team due to the severe risks involved, including frostbite, snow blindness, and potential hospitalisation. “The CEO of the expedition has already cautioned that swimmers may need immediate medical intervention due to the extreme sub-zero conditions,” Hazarika said. Hazarika’s passion for challenging limits was evident in his December 2024 achievement, where he and West Bengal swimmer Rimo Saha completed a 42.5-km relay swim across the Arabian Sea, from Mumbai’s Worli Sea Link to the Atal Setu.

With each daring expedition, Elvis Ali Hazarika continues to put Assam and the Northeast on the global map, inspiring a generation of athletes with his resilience, vision, and unbreakable spirit.