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Iron Boy To Swim Melaka Straits Ahead Of English Channel Challenge

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Eleven-year-old swimmer, Salman Ali Shariati Abdul Halim, nicknamed Iron Boy, will brave 49 nautical miles across the Straits of Melaka on Dec 30 in preparing to conquer the English Channel next June.

He will start his swim at Pulau Rupat in Sumatra, Indonesia, and finish at Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.

"According to our plan, Salman will take between 20 to 24 hours to complete the swim," Seven Continents Extreme Expedition Club chairman Muhamad Muqharabbin Mokhtarudin told reporters here today.

He said Salman would make the straits swim in a cage because of dangers posed by jellyfish, sea snakes and other creatures.

Salman would be accompanied by his sister, Zahrah Ma'sounah, 17, for this practice session costing RM60,000 per person, he said.

He said Salman would then focus on the 37 nautical miles English Channel in trying to become the second youngest swimmer in the world to achieve the feat.

Muhamad Muqharabbin, who climbed Mount Everest in 2004, said for the English Channel feat, Salman would swim with Zahrah and himself, under the guidance of Lennard Lee, the second Malaysian to swim cross the channel after Datuk Malik Mydin.

"We may go there two or three months earlier for training and to get used to the cold weather," he added.

Meanwhile, Salman said he was ready for the Melaka Straits swim as he had undergone intensive training.

"I train at least four hours a day in Ipoh whereby I swim for two hours and cycle for another two hours to increase my stamina," he said.

A dinner function to launch the mission will be held on Dec 3 at Dewan Perdana Felda here. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak is scheduled to attend it which also serves to collect funds for the mission.

-- BERNAMA

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