By KATHERINE HOBY
After breaking the New Zealand men's freshwater freedive record in the icy 4C water of Lake Wakatipu, Ant Williams would love his next dive to be in warmer waters.
The 31-year-old Auckland sports psychologist, who trained for 3 1/2 months for the record attempt near Queenstown, said the
water felt very cold as he waited to make the dive, but he was "super-elated" at the top.
"During training we have concentrated on zoning-out once I'm diving, so the cold wasn't an issue."
Williams spent more than 10 seconds at the 45m mark, breaking the old record by 7m.
"It was quite freaky realising I was standing on the bottom of the lake," he said.
"But there had been so much build-up I didn't really feel much like coming straight back to the top."
Williams' effort raised more than $5000 for the Child Cancer Foundation.
Williams can hold his breath for 5m 21s and recently set a New Zealand record by swimming 160m underwater on a single breath.
