Kateryna Sadurska sets world freediving record at 90 metres without fins
Ukrainian freediver Kateryna Sadurska set a new women's world record by diving 90 metres without fins in the CNF discipline at the AIDA Blue Element November tournament in Dominica. She became the first woman to reach that depth without additional equipment and, after the dive, her 10th world freediving record.
Key points
- Kateryna Sadurska dove 90 metres without fins in the CNF discipline at the AIDA Blue Element November tournament in Dominica.
- She became the first woman in the world to reach a depth of 90 metres without additional equipment.
- The 34-year-old's result exceeded her nearest rival's best mark of 79 metres by 11 metres.
- The performance made Sadurska a 10-time world record holder in freediving.
- Sadurska set her first world record in 2023 with a dive to 73 metres.
- She is an 11-time champion and a participant in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
- Only six men have ever dived to 90 metres without fins, according to available reports.
Why it matters
Sadurska's 90-metre dive established a new benchmark in women's freediving and made her the first woman to reach that depth without additional equipment. Her result was 11 metres deeper than her closest rival's best performance, and it brought her 10th world record in the sport.
What happened
At the AIDA Blue Element November tournament in Dominica, 34-year-old Kateryna Sadurska set a new world record in the CNF discipline, diving 90 metres with constant weight and without fins. The Ukrainian athlete became the first woman to reach that depth without additional equipment. Her closest rival's best result was 79 metres, while only six men have reportedly dived to 90 metres without fins. Following the performance, Sadurska became a 10-time world record holder in freediving.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets emphasised that Sadurska dedicated the record to the Ukrainian people. They also linked her performance to the motivation the full-scale war gave her to compete internationally and prioritise sport, and detailed the injury and blackout that preceded the record dive.
Background
Sadurska is an 11-time champion and a participant in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. She set her first world record in 2023 with a dive to 73 metres. In July, she was preparing for a record dive to 89 metres but was injured a week before the start, treating her wounds and taking antibiotics. At that preceding start, she experienced her first blackout in 10 years of competition and was disqualified.