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Ahmedabad: For many years, crossing the English channel has been the holy grail for swimming enthusiasts.

The latest Indian to achieve the feat is a boy from Ahmedabad - 16-year-old Sufian Sheikh recently crossed the 34-kilometre stretch of sea from England to France in 12 hours.

He’s an Indian and he’s proud of it. Sufian made sure he held the Indian flag minutes after he swam across the English Channel.

On July 21, the Gujarat lad began swimming from Dover in England. Twelve hours later, he reached the French shore. About 25 Indians have so far crossed the English Channel, but Sufian is the first from Gujarat to do so.

The Gujarat Vidyapith swimming pool in Ahmedabad is where he has been practicing since the age of three. So how does Sufian feel about his feat?

"I feel great, having done my parents, sir and country proud. Yes, it was very difficult, the sea was choppy and there were jellyfish and sharks. In fact, the last two hours were very tiring," said the young man.

Also backing him to the hilt were his parents, Mohsin and Qamar Shaikh, and his coach Kamlesh Nanvati. So were his parents on tenterhooks when they saw their son swimming with sharks and jellyfish?

"I was apprehensive in the last couple of kilometres, as the waves were real strong. But just about 25 Indians have crossed the channel and I'm happy Sufian is among them."

So what does this young swimmer plan to do next? Well how about crossing the Croatian Channel and the stretch between Los Angeles and the US? We will have to wait and see.