Cafolla reclaims apnea ice diving world record in just 36 hours

LONDON: It took Valentina Cafolla just 36 hours to take back her apnea ice diving world record from Yasuko Ozeki, diving 140 meters deep with a single fin and without oxygen or assistance on Friday.

Cafolla went in the Guinness World Records when she set the previous record of 125 meters in 2017, but it was broken by Ozeki on Thursday who dove a meter deeper at the Shiretokogo Lake in Japan’s Hokkaido island.

But the Croatian took back her record at Lago di Anterselva in the Italian Alps, braving heavy snowfall and a water temperature of three degrees Celsius. She dove for a minute and 40 seconds while slowing her heartbeat down to 50 per minute. On the very next day the freediver also set the world record with the double fin, achieving a depth of over 80 meters.

“If you had one shot or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted in one moment. Would you capture it?” Cafolla wrote on Instagram after securing the two world records. Cafolla plans to compete at the Freediving World Championships in Belgrade in July.