Free diver plumbs new depths

Nick Sas -

She dives to the ocean depths holding her breath for two minutes, pushing her lungs to the absolute limit.

It does not sound like much fun. But for free diver Naomi Hill, it is exhilarating. Prior to eight months ago, the WA environmental scientist had not tried free diving, the fledgling extreme sport. In April, she broke two Australian records on her first competitive dives.

Free diving has grown from an underground niche activity into a competitive sport with world championships and hundreds of competitors from all corners of the globe.

Ms Hill, 31, set the two records at the Blue Hole at Dahab, on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. In one breath she pushed the Australian "constant no fins" record to 32m, holding her breath for one minute and 25 seconds. The next day she set a new "free immersion" record of 43m in just under two minutes.

"Free immersion" consists of descending further underwater in one breath with the aid of wire while "constant no fins" means a free dive with no aids.

The records have since been broken but Ms Hill said she was committed to breaking them again.

"It's all really competitive at the moment, with a few girls trying to break the records," she said.
"But I really enjoy the science of the sport, and it's amazing being underwater like that."

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