Freediver Artnik reaches new milestone
Tegucigalpa, 5 August - Slovenian freediver Alenka Artnik has reached a new milestone. Plunging 111 meters into the Caribbean with a monofin, she beat the world record in the discipline by four metres and became the first woman to descend bellow 110 metres.
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Slovenian freediver Alenka Artnik in 2017.
Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA
File photo
Artnik made the dive in the warm-up for the World Freediving Championship taking place on the Island of Roatan in Honduras.
"It's insane. I feel excellent this season, both physically and mentally. I knew this will be the year when I'll be able to set new milestones and I was not wrong," Artnik told web portal Siol.net.
"I know I can go even deeper. I'll keep this pace at the World Championship and I'll announce two metres deeper dive, at 113 metres."
Artnik is the main contender for gold at the championship, followed closely only by Italian Alessia Zechinni, the previous record-holder. Zechinni plunged 110 metres ahead of the competition that starts on Tuesday.
"I'm aware that Alessia is in excellent shape as well and can go deeper still, but I've never worried too much about my rivals. I've always listened to myself and my own feelings, which has worked well so far," said Artnik, who will also compete with bi-fins.
Two other Slovenians, Samo Jeranko and Neža Čeč, will compete at the Championship hosted by the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques between 6 and 12 August.