A 23-year-old from West Midnapore has crossed the Palk Strait in seven hours five minutes, giving the swimmer a morale boost in her dream to conquer the Oceans Seven marathon challenge.
Afrin Jabee completed her “quest” from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu, on Saturday. The Palk Strait, however, is not a part of the Oceans Seven swims, but Afrin is taking confidence from her latest achievement.
“I am very happy. The time is a record (for women),” Afrin told The Telegraph after completing the feat on Saturday.
“My dream is to cross the seven oceans. I swam the English Channel in July 2025. But that cost my family a lot. We did not receive any help from the government. But for the Palk Strait, we got support from the Rotary Club and Eye Hospital of Midnapore,” she added.
A student of Bachelor of Physical Education, Afrin trains under Biswajit Dey Chowdhury in Calcutta. She is next planning to cross the Catalina Channel, and is hoping to get sponsorship to cover the expenses that run into several lakhs.
“I used to hear about children drowning and felt it was necessary for my children to learn swimming. And Afrin has taken it up seriously,” her father Sk Piar Ali said.