Commander Tommy, who has circled the Earth, completes the Golden Globe Race

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New Delhi. Abhilash Tomy (Retd) has become the first Indian Commander to successfully complete the Golden Globe Race (sailing race) 2022. They sailed for 236 days, 14 hours and 46 minutes. During this period, France and South Africa also reached. Before this, Commander Tommy had become the first Indian to circumnavigate the earth without stopping.

The Defense Ministry said on Monday that Commander Tommy has created history by securing second place in the Golden Globe Race (GGR 22). With this he also became the first Asian to complete the race. He returned to Les Sables-d’Olonne, France, behind South Africa’s Kirsten Neushafer after sailing 236 days, 14 hours and 46 minutes since leaving shore on 4 September 2022. In recognition of his historic achievement, he was honored by Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar on 30 October.

According to the Defense Ministry, earlier in 2013, Commander Tommy had become the first Indian to circumnavigate the Earth solo, non-stop, on board the INSV Mahadei. He also participated in GGR 18, but had to withdraw due to a serious back injury caused by a storm en route. Five years later, with a titanium rod in his spine and five fused vertebrae, he demonstrated incredible stamina, grit and determination in GGR 22, succeeding in a test of human willpower.

The GGR is organized in honor of Sir Robin Knox Johnston, the first sailor to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world in 1968. 16 participants were to take part in the circumnavigation race in a GGR 22 with pre-1968 equipment and technology.

Only three participants, including Commander Tommy, ultimately completed the race, with the rest dropping out due to technical failures or accidents. Commander Abhilash Tomy recently took over as the mentor and coach to two Naval Women Officers preparing to undertake a solo circumnavigation of the Earth as the next edition of the Indian Navy’s Sagar Parikrama.

–IANS

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