By Bhupen Goswami
Guwahati : More laurels have come Assam’s way as local boy and former international swimmer Elvis Ali Hazarika 
has become the first Assamese to swim 29 kilometers (km) out of the 33 km long English Channel. Hazarika has been known to do unthinkable things on the water as he swum past the 800-meter long Dighalipukhuri when he was just 4 years old. One year after this feat, he swam the one considered to be the largest man-made lake in India, i.e. Joysagar Lake in Sibsagar.Post the achievement, 34-year old Hazarika posted a message on Social media: Hello Guys. Thanks to all your support, I have become the first Assamese to swim 29kms in the English Channel where at first the water Temperature was 12 degrees centigrade and to the middle it was 11degrees centigrade. I kept swimming for 10 Hours and 15 minutes since 1 AM (6:30 IST) I am proud that I am the first person from North East India to ever swim such a distance in the Mount Everest of all swims. I am currently under medical observation as my health had depleted due to the freezing water Thank you to all my friends, family, specially Ma, Jamuguri Ma, Pranami, my son Presley and Dong, for all your support and help in my swim. Joi Ai Axom!
