US-based Guyanese Rugbeer swims Demerara River in 24 minutes

America-based Guyanese Deryck Rugbeer returned to his homeland recently with one main goal: To swim across the Demerara River.
He did just that yesterday, clocking a time of 24 minutes and adding the feat to his ‘bucket list.’
Family members and onlookers who were in a boat encouraged him along the way, and congratulated him afterwards.
He said that he would have completed it in a faster time if he hadn’t to swim against the tide. Despite the time set back he claimed that “I feel good after my swim despite a bit being nervous.”
Deryck’s mom Lucille Baldeo Rugbeer told Kaieteur News that when her son informed her he was coming home to swim across the Demerara River, she decided that she wanted to be with him when he accomplished one of his dreams
The 52 year old grew up in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market, and as a child, he would often venture to the back of the market and look across the Demerara River and ask himself: Can I swim over that?
He attended the Mon Repos Primary, where he wrote the National Grade Six Assessment and was awarded a place at the St. Stanislaus College.