February 12, 2025

1084th day of Russian invasion

Ukrainian athlete makes history as three-time freediving world champion, setting new record

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Kateryna Sadurska, a Ukrainian athlete, has clinched the freediving world championship title for the third time while also setting a new national record by diving to 103 meters with a monofin. This achievement surpassed Nataliia Zharkova’s previous record by one meter.

The 8th CMAS Freediving World Championship 2024 kicked off on October 2 in Kalamata, Greece. According to Kateryna, the event was held in the Mediterranean Sea, where the water temperature was a chilly 24°C. This challenged her as she was accustomed to training in warmer waters.

Although the competition was delayed due to weather, Sadurska made her deepest dive on October 6 and set a new record for Ukraine.

“The first competitive day among women was scheduled for October 5, but it was postponed to October 6 due to weather conditions. On that day, I dived with a monofin. It was my deepest dive and an absolute record for Ukraine — 103 m,” Kateryna says.

Sadurska is the first Ukrainian woman to reach such a depth, surpassing Nataliia Zharkova’s previous record of 102 meters. As a point of reference, the Motherland monument, a symbol of Kyiv, is just one meter less than this depth.

In the discipline of “free diving, while tethered,” where proper equipment and preparation are crucial, Kateryna couldn’t practice with the setup (starting structure) before the competition.

The athletes only had one official practice session, during which Sadurska performed a different discipline. This brought an element of surprise to her immersion process. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian athlete dazzled with a remarkable performance, reaching a depth of 95 meters and claiming the gold medal for the third consecutive year.

After diving, Kateryna emphasized that her goal is not only to achieve sports achievements but also to draw the world’s attention to Ukraine during the war and remind it of the incredible potential of the Ukrainian nation.

“The main task at these competitions is to represent Ukraine dignifiedly. This is an opportunity to remind the world that the war in our country continues and that we are ready to fight, but we need support.

The second, no less important part of the mission is to remind Ukrainians that we are an incredible nation with huge potential and that we have something to show the world,” Kateryna said after the victory.

Source: Rubryka.com

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