Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Bengaluru IT Professional Swims Across Bosphorus Continents
Akshay Sharma works in cybersecurity in Bengaluru.
He started running in 2023, when even one kilometre felt difficult.
Since then, he has taken on mountain climbs, triathlons and Ironman races.
On 23 August 2026, he swam 6.5 kilometres across the Bosphorus in Istanbul, from Asia to Europe.
He finished in 1 hour and 32 minutes.
The water had strong currents and waves, and he had no GPS or smartwatch to guide him.
He trained mostly in pools while also doing his regular job.
He says staying calm, moving steadily and being consistent helped him finish.
Akshay Sharma, a 34-year-old Bengaluru cybersecurity engineer, completed the 6.5-kilometre Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race on 23 August 2026.
He swam from Istanbul’s Asian side to its European side in 1 hour and 32 minutes, beating the two-hour cut-off.
Sharma began running in January 2023, later completing the Everest Base Camp trek, climbing Lobuche East and taking on triathlons and Ironman races.
He prepared for the Bosphorus for about three months, training mainly in Bengaluru pools while balancing sessions with his full-time job.
Shifting currents and waves made the crossing difficult; Sharma says he focused on steady pacing, breathing and conserving energy.
- Who
- Akshay Sharma, a 34-year-old senior cybersecurity engineer from Bengaluru.
- What
- He completed the 6.5-kilometre Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race in 1 hour and 32 minutes.
- When
- 23 August 2026.
- Where
- The Bosphorus in Istanbul, swimming from the Asian side to the European side.
- Why
- He wanted to test what he could do by making swimming the focus of a major endurance challenge.
Challenge
Response
Unfamiliar currents and limited navigation
Challenge
Shifting currents and waves could push swimmers off course, and Sharma had no GPS or smartwatch during the race.
Response
He focused on reading the water, keeping a steady pace and moving away from a reverse current rather than fighting it directly.
Training around work
Challenge
His full-time job, long workdays and commute made it difficult to find training time.
Response
He scheduled early-morning sessions and says consistency matters more than intensity.
- Race distance
- 6.5 kilometres
- Finish time
- 1 hour and 32 minutes
- Race cut-off
- Two hours
- Race date
- 23 August 2026
- Specific preparation
- About three months, beginning toward the end of May 2026
- Typical weekly swimming
- Three to four sessions, covering around 10 to 15 kilometres
- Next major goal
- Attempting Mount Everest