MUMBAI: Om Mahajan will be turning 18 only next month, but he has already broken the record for the fastest bicycle journey across India.
Mahajan, resident of Nashik in Maharashtra, covered the distance of 3,600 km from Srinagar to Kanyakumari on bicycle in eight days, seven hours and 38 minutes, finishing on Saturday afternoon.
“I was always into cycling, but it was more about sprinting. I began to dream of endurance cycling and taking part in the Race Across America (RAAM) after lockdown began,” Om said, speaking to reporters minutes after reaching Kanyakumari.
“About six months ago, I began training for the qualifier ride for RAAM which was to happen in November,” he said.
But rather than going for the standard 600-km qualifier ride, Om set himself a `Race Across India’.
He started from Srinagar on a chilly night last week, and braved heavy rains in Madhya Pradesh and punishing heat down south before reaching the destination.
The existing Guinness Book record for the fastest bicycle ride from Srinagar to Kanyakumari is held by his uncle, Mahendra Mahajan.
However, that record was recently broken by the Indian Army’s Lt Col Bharat Pannu, who cycled the distance in eight days and nine hours, though it was yet to be entered in Guinness Book. (AGENCIES)
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