Assam’s ace swimmer Elvis Ali Hazarika is all set to swim across the Catalina Channel in the US on August 15.

Hazarika, who has trained under ace bodybuilder Mahadev Deka, will swim 20 miles (32.18km) across the Catalina Channel.

The channel is one of the most popular open-water marathon swimming course, as challenging as the English Channel.

Addressing a news conference here on Saturday, Hazarika said, “Swimmer Rimo Saha from Bengal will accompany me. The endpoint of the course is Rancho Palos Verdes, California. I will practise in the Ganga next month as a part of my preparation. The total expenditure of the journey is estimated to be around Rs 7 lakh.”

“I will dedicate my attempt to cross the Catalina Channel to Abhijeet Nath and Nilotpal Das, who were lynched last year in Panjuri village of Dokmoka in the Karbi Anglong,” Hazarika said.

He has won as many as 68 national and six international gold medals. At the age of 9 in 1991, Elvis represented the nation in the Asia Pacific Swimming Championship.

Hazarika represented India in South Asian Federation Games in 1995 and 1999 and the World Police Games in 2009. He also represented Assam in the All-India-Pacific National Aquatic Games, sub-junior, junior and senior Aquatic National Championship and National Games.

He made an unsuccessful attempt to swim the English Channel last year, having to abort the attempt midway after swimming for 10 hours 25 minutes.