Free Diving Records Broken in Bahamas

The Vertical Blue 2009 freediving competition concluded at Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas two days ago, with world records shattered and plenty of swimmers pushing themselves deeper and farther. Freediving is a unique sport in which swimmers dive to depths of up to 120 meters (almost 400 feet) without the aid of oxygen. In fact, the only equipment they use is a high-tech wetsuit that minimizes buoyancy, goggles, and in some events, a monofin flipper-like device. Some dives last longer than three minutes.

Sara Campbell, of Great Britian, led the women with a world record of 96 m (315 feet), and Herbert Nitsch set a world record of 120 m (393) feet with a dive that took him 3:58 minutes. Freedivers use a holistic approach and often combine intense yoga and breathing exercises with regular swinning workouts.

(Source: Outside Blog)

Sara Campbell spoke on USA Today about the dive, 315' in one breath. MSNBC explains, "That's almost five yards more than the length of a football field and nine feet more than the height of the Statue of Liberty and the pedestal on which it stands. It took her 3 minutes and 36 seconds to swim down that far, grab a tag to prove she'd made it, and then return to the surface.

“'I do it because I love it,' said the petite 37-year-old British subject, who is known in the sport of freediving — or apnea, as it calls itself — as 'Mighty Mouse.'”

Read more about Sara on Today.MSNBC.