SLAF swimmer to set world record swim across Palk strait

Leading Aircraftman Roshan Abeysundara of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) kicked off an attempt to create a world record starting early this morning (April 10).

In line with his special effort, Abeysundara called on the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana on Friday (April 09) before departing for Mannar to embark on his record-breaking mission, the SLAF said in a statement.

The Commander has presented him with a thermal swimming kit which would assist heavily during the record-breaking attempt.

During his preparation for the event, Abeysundara renewed the National open water swimming record twice within a short time period. He created a new record by swimming a 25Km distance from Matara to Koggala on January 03 clocking a time of 10 hours and 37 minutes and went on to renew the record by swimming a distance of 49Km from Matara to Hikkaduwa and back to Unawatuna on February 27 with a timing of 23 hours and 10 minutes.

Abeysundara is a Level III swimming instructor affiliated to American Swimming Coaches Association and has undergone training from the legendary Julian Bolling.

He is an experienced life guard who has obtained the Level II standard from Sri Lanka Life Saving, the SLAF said further.

His passion for swimming has led him on the path of entering the Guinness World Record Book as he swims to renew V.S. Kumar Anandan’s 50-year-old record which was set in 1971 by swimming the Palk Strait in 51 hours

Roshan will swim from Mannar to Danuskodi, Rameshwaran in India and back, covering a distance of 59.3 Kms.