KOTA KINABALU: A shipping company operations manager gave up his job in search of a place in the Malaysia Book of Records.

It paid off when Mohd Ikhmil Fawezd Mohd Hanafi set a new record by swimming 60km in 21 hours, surpassing an earlier feat by Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin.

“I am so relieved and thankful that I was able to complete what I set out to do,” said the 41-year-old Mohd Ikhmil who reached the Tanjung Aru beach here at 9am yesterday after starting his swim from southwestern Kuala Penyu at 9am on Saturday. He reached the 60km mark at 6am.

Mohd Ikhmil, from Gombak, Selangor, has been working in Labuan for three years. He said he was thankful to police, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Fire and Rescue Services as well as military personnel who escorted him during the swim.

“It was scary at times, especially late at night when I encountered some big fish. I wasn’t sure if they were sharks,” he said.

Mohd Ikhmil said his daily training regime since July last year was also among the factors that enabled him to complete his feat.

The event was organised by Projek Amal 1Malaysia, whose chairman Datuk Abdul Tani Lo Shen Foh said Mohd Ikhmil managed to pass the 60km mark in 21 hours because he did not rest much and continued to swim consistently throughout the night.

Mohd Ikhmil surpassed the 48km solo swim record set by Abdul Malik from Kuala Perlis to Kuah, Langkawi.

Among those who witnessed the event were Malaysia Book of Records officials and the area’s state assemblyman Limus Jury.-thestar