Turkish free-diver Şahika Ercümen refreshes her record
ANTALYA
Multiple world-record holder and freediving champion Şahika Ercümen has refreshed her own Turkish record by diving 82 meters (269 feet) in the women’s free immersion (FIM) category at the freediving championship held in the southern province of Antalya.
“I am happy that I broke a new Turkish record before the world championship,” said Ercümen, who came second in the event.
The World Freediving Outdoor Championship organized by the World Underwater Federation will kick off in Antalya’s Kaş district on Oct. 3.
“My current goal is to set new records in the world championship and win medals for my country. I will work to achieve this,” she added.
Last year, Ercümen dived 81 meters (265 feet) in the freediving championship held in Kaş in cooperation with the Turkish Underwater Sports Federation (TSSF) and the World Underwater Activities Confederation (CMAS).
Ukraine’s Kateryna Sadurska took first place with a 90 meter (295 feet) dive, while Enchante Gallardo from the U.S. ranked third with 78.2 meters (256 feet).
In the same category for men, Tory George from the U.K. was first with his dive to 96 meters (314 feet), Eugen Geottling from Austria was second, diving to 95 meters (311 feet) and Poland’s Piotr Blaszczak came in third with 81 meters.
Free immersion (FIM) is a freediving discipline in which the free-diver dives under water without the use of propulsion or air supply equipment, only descending and ascending by pulling on a rope.
Performances may be done head first or feet first during the descent, or a combination of the two.
The current record holders are New Zealand’s William Trubridge with a depth of 124 meters (406 feet) and Japan’s Sayuri Kinoshita with 97 meters (318 feet), both set in the Bahamas.
