‘Triple Depth’ international freediving competition, Dahab, Egypt:
Londoner Sara Campbell has rescued British Sport from the doldrums this weekend, with a spectacular coup of 3 World Freediving records, over a 48 hour period. This is nothing short of amazing, and has knocked the world freediving community sideways.
On Friday the 19th of October 2007, Sara surprised everyone in the opening discipline of Free Immersion when she reached a depth of 81 metres, pulling down a measured line using arms only. In doing so, she relieved Russian freediving stalwart Natalia Molchanova of her previous record of 80 metres.
Just one day later, spectators were staggered to find that Campbell had posted a depth of no less than 90 metres for Constant Weight, where the athlete must descend using swim fin(s). This was viewed as a gross over-estimate for the diminutive newcomer, who has been freediving for less than one year. With utter disbelief, the audience were shown just what grit and determination can result in, when Sara returned to the surface with a depth tag. Not only had she beaten the previous World record holder Mandy-Rae Cruikshank, but had done so by an extra 2 metres.
On Sunday the 21st of October, the final day of the competition, there were no surprises that Sara would aim deep for another world record, this time in Constant Weight No-Fins. As the name suggests, a swim to the depths with no assistance of any kind, with Nataila Molchanova again the title holder with 55 metres. Sara reached a metre deeper to beat this, setting the new CNF world record to 56 metres.