At 52, Goli Shyamala defies age to swim 150km in the Bay of Bengal
Goli, at the age of 52, achieved the feat of covering a 150km distance in the Bay of Bengal from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada in five days.
Goli Shyamala defied age to swim 150 km in the Bay of Bengal from December 28, 2024 to January 3, 2025. (Photo Credits: Deputy CMO, Andhra Pradesh/ X)
In an age-defying feat, 52-year-old Goli Shyamala of Andhra Pradesh swam 150km in the Bay of Bengal from Visakhapatnam to Kakinada on Friday.
She achieved this feat in five days, starting from RK Beach in Visakhapatnam in the afternoon of December 28 and reaching the NTR Beach of Kakinada on Friday, January 3, 2025.
Earlier, Shyamala, who was running an animation studio in Hyderabad before turning to swimming, swam in the Palk Strait, Catalina Channel, and the Lakshadweep Islands.
She had started swimming late in her early 40s.
Talking about her ability to overcome the age barrier, Shyamala said she had undergone rigorous training, involving a strict diet and routine before heading out for the 150 km-long open-sea endurance swimming. She also said Yoga and meditation helped her achieve this feat.
"I feel proud to say I am 52"
"I feel proud to say I am 52 years old. I had some issues only one day due to the sea sickness and health issues of the crew who have been helping me," said Shyamala, sharing her experience of swimming in the Bengal of Bengal.
She achieved the feat with the help of a team of observers, scuba divers, physiotherapists, doctors, large boats, and a small vessel, that could give her the proper help in adverse conditions.
She had lunch on the vessel and slept on it at night.
Revealing further about her interactions in the sea, Shyamala said, "I came across numerous tortoises throughout my journey to Kakinada. It is as if they were interacting with me, seemingly curious about my identity."
"It was a wonderful feeling. The tortoises touched my feet and hands. They swam with me. I felt happy. There are small and big tortoises. Jellyfish had troubled me a bit," she added.
She also highlighted pollution in the sea at the two stretches and appealed to the government to address the issue.
"At two stretches, it was heartbreaking to see the carcasses of tortoises. They were floating on the sea. I found the pollution in those two stretches extremely uncomfortable to swim in. I think it was chemical. I have observed numerous instances of waste. Government should focus on this aspect,” she suggested.
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