Martinborough-based freediver Kathryn Nevatt set a new world's best in the freediving discipline of Dynamic without fins over the weekend, swimming 163m breaststroke underwater on a single breath.
That effort added 4m to her previous national record and bettered the world record of 160m held by Russian Natalia Molchanova.
The distance represented six and a half lengths of a 25m pool and the total dive time was 3m 1s.
Nevatt's remarkable performance came at the National Indoor Freediving Competition hosted by Wellington's Lazy Seal Freediving Club and held at the Te Rauparaha Arena Aquatic Centre in Porirua.
Over three sessions competitors took part in the three indoor freediving events of Static Apnea (breath hold time), Dynamic Apnea (horizontal distance swum under water with the use of fins or a monofin) and Dynamic without fins (horizontal distance swum underwater without fins, doing a type of breaststroke).
Nevatt's Dynamic without fins effort will be an unofficial world record since an international A level judge was not in attendance and a doping test was not carried out. However, it will be recorded as a world's best in the AIDA world rankings.
Nevatt is now seeking sponsors to assist with the raising of the estimated $5000 needed for her to set an official world record.
Nevatt described the dive as "a pleasure. I was so perfectly relaxed and close to sleep that I cannot remember a great deal of it. I struggled with my technique and nerves in the first two to three lengths. I then just told myself to 'get over it' and 'get on with it'.
"Due to some new training techniques I still felt strong at the end, without the usual lactic build up and associated fatigue, and was overjoyed to find myself in the middle of the pool at the end of the dive, several metres beyond the world record."
Nevatt also completed a Static apnea in a time of 7m 22s, just 12s off her national record of 7m 34s and she aims to achieve eight minutes in the near future. She is is ranked women's world No2 in this event.
Second to Nevatt in the New Zealand women's indoor freediving championships was Marine Pomarede from France. The men's competition was won by world record holder Dave Mullins from New Zealand representative Chris Marshall. Beginner divers Odette Wood, Julia Cunneen and Adam Flaws set personal bests in the recreation grade.
Nevatt, 33, is an architect working in Palmerston North and living in Martinborough. She trains in Palmerston North and Masterton as part of the Breath Takers Freediving Club and teaches diving skills courses to fundraise for international competitions.