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Kiwi freediver breaks record at 116m

Kiwi freediver William Trubridge plunged 116 metres into the ocean,holding his breath for over four minutes to setthe world record for diving without fins.

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Source: AAP


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Kiwi freediver William Trubridge plunged 116 metres into the ocean, holding his breath for over four minutes and battling narcosis to set the world record for diving without fins.

The 29-year-old spent four minutes and nine seconds under the water without the aid of oxygen, using a form of breaststroke to propel himself down and claim the record at the Vertical Blue competition in the Bahamas on the weekend.

"It was hard to get the tag from the bottom as I struggled with some narcosis," Trubridge told the New Zealand Herald.

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"But it's great to have the free immersion record again."

Divers can suffer from nitrogen narcosis, which produces a state similar to drunkenness.

It was Trubridge's 10th world record, and puts him in first place for the competition to find the world's best all-round freediver.

Last week he set a record in the "constant weight" division - becoming the first person to dive 92 metres unassisted.

The extreme sporting event will wrap up on Tuesday.


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