Freediver Sets Five Icelandic Records in Debut Competition

Andrea Skúladóttir has become the new Icelandic record holder in all four freediving disciplines after an exceptional performance at an international competition in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. This marked her debut competition, where she astonishingly set five new national records across four events.

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This was the first competition I've ever entered. I just threw myself into the deep end.

Freediving, a demanding sport requiring divers to hold their breath, relies on technique, focus, and composure. Skúladóttir reached depths of 23 meters in the CNF (Constant No Fins) discipline, where divers descend without touching the guide rope. In FIM (Free Immersion), where divers pull themselves down the rope, she achieved 46 meters on her first attempt and an impressive 50 meters on her second.

Her prowess continued in CWT (Constant Weight) and CWTB (Constant Weight Bi-Fins), where she reached a depth of 52 meters. Skúladóttir first encountered freediving about a decade ago while traveling in Croatia, immediately feeling drawn to the activity. She has since dived worldwide.

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There is nothing and no one around you. You hear nothing but your heartbeat. You are alone with your thoughts.

Despite initial apprehension about the extreme depths, Skúladóttir finds the practice becomes calming with repetition. "There is nothing and no one around you. You hear nothing but your heartbeat. You are alone with your thoughts," she explained, likening the experience to deep meditation. She stressed that maintaining calmness is paramount, as stress accelerates heart rate and oxygen depletion. Training can be done on land with breath-holding exercises and CO2 tables, in pools, or ideally in open water, though she advises never to train alone.

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The calmer you are, the better it goes.