Update 21/07/16: William Trubridge has successfully broken his own freedive world record, reaching 102m on a single breath during his dive in the Bahamas this morning (NZ time).
In total, he spent four minutes and 13 seconds under water at Dean’s Blue Hole, the world’s deepest known salt water blue hole. With his parents watching from the studio at TVNZ’s Breakfast this morning, where the dive was broadcast live, William descended to the bottom, gathered a marker and then resurfaced without assistance.
After a tense few moments on the surface, he successfully completed the post-dive protocol signalling to the judge that he was okay – and that’s when the celebrations began!
“It was a huge sense of relief. To get this record in the bag is a dream,” William said.
“I started to feel a little bit of a fade halfway up, I wondered if it was going to go pear-shaped again,” he continued, referring to his previous attempt to break the same record in 2014, when he fell just 10m short of his goal.
“I could feel the support of so many behind me, but knew I had to stay in the present, I was nearly there.”
“We’re just so proud of him, each time he dives. They’re the longest four minutes of our lives, but we’re just so happy he’s finally notched this one up!” said William’s father David.
Original story continues below
He’s captivated the world with his daring dives, and now William Trubridge is just hours away from attempting to break the world freedive record in the Bahamas.
The UK-born, New Zealand raised athlete will be trying to reach a depth of 102m on just a single breath of air tomorrow morning – and Breakfast weather presenter Sam Wallace is on location to watch it all unfold.
Being this close to all the action seems to have sparked a new affinity for the extreme sport in Sam, who reveals he has gone so far as to try it out himself.
Sam reveals he’s even given freediving a go himself!
“I had a crack at a free dive today and managed 17m, which is solid,” Sam reveals.
“From what I understand the recreational scuba depth is around 18m, and remember, I have no air! Just one breath.”
The attempt was enough to get the adventurous weather presenter below the lip of the same chasm William will be diving into tomorrow, but Sam says being that deep wasn’t as scary as you’d think.
Watch another amazing freedive by William Trubridge in the video – story continues below
“It was very peaceful. Your lungs start to scream a little at that depth but once you get in your head it’s not a lack of oxygen but a build up of carbon dioxide that’s making your mind think it needs air, you’re okay.”
Sam reveals he’s hooked, calling the experience “an incredible feeling”.
“I will be freediving again!” he vows.
For more on William’s incredible journey, check out our interview with the freediving champ in this week’s issue of Woman’s Day
