Meet Divya Mahajan, The Youngest Ever to Swim Across North Channel
Divya Mahajan, a 15-year-old Nashik girl, essayed history by becoming the youngest ever to swim across the North Channel in 15 hours and 50 minutes, on August 23, 2026
Divya Mahajan, a 15-year-old Nashik girl, essayed history by becoming the youngest ever to swim across the North Channel in 15 hours and 50 minutes, on August 23, 2026. One of the proudest moments and accomplishments in Indian Open Water swimming, writing a new chapter in Indian Sporting history.
Significantly, Divya eclipsed the age record set in 2023, by Anshuman Jhingran, who accomplished the feat at the age of 19. Her journey epitomised glory women can transcend in sport, overshadowing male counterparts.
Divya with unwavering or resolute resilience battled the extremely cold and choppy waters, swimming for almost sixteen hours. She scaled tenacity to battle adversity in realms surreal during her journey, Divya achieved her momentous mission on a day when the tides really were unfriendly, fighting relentlessly, right to the end. Her journey was a testament to her incredible will power, tenacity and endurance, to complete one of the most arduous open water swimming ventures in the world.
The North or Irish Channel is arguably the most arduous challenges of all open water endurance swims with temperatures scaling around 12 to 15 degrees even at the height of the Summer. Divya's challenge was even more perilous being not permitted to wear a wet suit and a costume extending not below the knees or above the shoulders.
Divya underwent arduous preparation for her challenge, reaching Europe well in advance, training up to four hours every day, to acclimatise herself to the perils.
Divya Mahajan's Journey to Historic Record
Divya embarked on her journey from Donagadee in Northern Ireland at 6.10 am and reached the shores of Scotland at Portpatrick around 10 pm. Her support boat was accompanied by the captain, observer, her coach Shrikant Vishwanathan and her father, providing her the utmost encouragement.
Divya named her challenge ‘Mission Sapt Sagar’ and she’s already completed the Catalina Channel solo swim in California, covering the 34km stretch in 15 hours and 23 minutes. This made her the youngest Indian swimmer, at 15, to complete the Catalina Channel solo. Divya said:
“Each swim presents unique challenges, from freezing water temperatures and strong tidal currents to long hours spent alone in open water. My ultimate goal is ambitious: to become the youngest person in the world to complete the Oceans Seven Challenge before the age of 19.”
After the COVID-19 lockdown, she completed a challenging 19 km river swim which boosted her confidence immensely. Her goal is now to empower other girls through medium of education and sport. She said:
“I want to inspire young girls to follow their passions, dream fearlessly, and believe in their abilities. Too often, girls are told what they cannot do. Through my journey, I want to show that girls are capable of achieving extraordinary things. If I can pursue my dream, then others can too.”
Alongside her mission, she has also been raising funds for BBC Children in Need, helping support children and young people across the United Kingdom. Last year she raised more than £1,200.
Divya attributed her success to the support of her family. Her father, Dr. Hitendra Mahajan, is an anaesthetist who has climbed Mount Everest and achieved a podium finish in the legendary Race Across America.
Divya also credited her mum, Dr. Anjana Mahajan, an Opthalmologist as the pivot of her journey, taking care of nutrition and logistics, and acknowledged support by brother Om Mahajan, an ultra-endurance cyclist who holds a Guinness World Record for cycling from the northernmost point -Kashmir to the southernmost point – Kanyakumari of India in the fastest time at the age of 17.
[The writer, Harsh Thakor, is Freelance Journalist who swam the English Channel in 1988.]
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