Basking in the glory of a world record after crossing seven seas in four continents, ace swimmer Bula Chowdhury now plans to conquer the fifth - Africa - and set a mark achieved by none.
"I have a desire to cover all the five continents, which nobody has done. It will be another world record in long distance swimming," a jubilant Chowdhury told a press conference in Kolkata on Monday.
Stating that she had already covered four continents - North America (Catalina Channel), Australia (Cook Strait), Europe (English Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, Tyrrhenian Sea, Toroneus Gulf) and Asia (Palk Strait), she said, "I have only the African continent left to cover. I want to do it by this year."
The 34-year-old swimmer, who returned home to a rousing welcome on Monday morning, said she would like to cross a channel in South Africa by the year-end.
"But I'm yet to decide on which channel to cross. It may be the one between Cape Town and Robson's Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned," she said.
Chowdhury, who crossed her seventh challenge, the Palk Strait, last Friday in 13.52 hours, said she has an invitation from the South African authorities, but would start preparations only after regaining fitness.
Besides newer records, the former national champion also plans to set up a swimming academy along with husband Sanjib Chakraborty, a former national swimmer, to groom young talent.
