A Croatian athlete named Vitomir Maričić has just set an official new world record for the longest underwater walk performed on a single breath, after traversing 107 meters (351 feet and 0.5 inches). It took Maričić, a professional freediver and gold medalist, three minutes to walk four laps of a swimming pool in an official attempt observed by Guinness World Records and AIDA (International Association for the Development of Apnea).
Maričić reportedly did not undergo any kind of special training before making his attempt. “As a professional freediver I don’t really need to prepare that much for any breath hold record,” he said.
He went on to state that one of the main reasons he went for the record was to raise awareness of the role freediving can play in medical research. It’s certainly true that the extreme—and dangerous—sport has yielded insights into human physiology and what the body is capable of when it comes to lung capacity and oxygen conservation. Freediver Jacques Mayol was even recorded slowing his heartbeat from 60 beats per minute to just 27, a feat previously observed in rare instances of meditation.
There are a number of things that athletes will do to prepare for a dive, including splashing cold water on their face to trigger something called the “mammalian dive reflex”. Freediving training also includes working on expanding lung capacity and overcoming mental barriers like fear. Then the only thing left to do is jump in.
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