ALAPPUZHA: Braving all odds, D. Baburaj, 53, physically- challenged marathon swimmer from Kainkari in Kuttanad, set a record by swimming 26 km in Vembanad lake on Monday. He is an Asian record-holder in long-distance swimming. He swam from near St Mary’s Ferone Church, Champakulam, at 7 a.m. and ended at finishing point at Punnamada at 2.10 p.m. Champakulam block panchayat president Poly Thomas flagged off the swimming. Alappuzha municipal chairman Thomas Joseph and district sports council president Nimmi Alexander and local people received him at the shore.
He covered Nedumudy, Moonnattumukh-om, Vattakayal and Kainakari of the lake. Last year he had set a record by swimming 10 km in the widest part of the lake from Kumarakom to Muhamma within three hours. It was recognised by the Universal Record Forum of Asian Records. Baburaj said the authorities of URF World Record had sought the visual of the swimming for considering him as a record-holder. He also wanted to create anti-terrorism awareness, he said
