Free Diving

Free diving is the sport of diving underwater without the use of diving equipment (scuba systems), relying solely on holding one's breath. Throughout human history, free diving has been used for hunting, exploration, and military purposes. In ancient Greece, sponge divers and in Japan, women known as "Ama" divers, represent early examples of free diving. Modern free diving developed as a competitive sport in the 20th century and began to be organized under international rules.

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Free divers must adapt to the physiological changes their bodies undergo underwater. The most important factors are:

• Diving reflex: Heart rate slows and blood is redirected to vital organs to conserve oxygen.
• Hypoxia (low oxygen levels): Divers train to increase lung capacity to hold their breath for extended periods.
• Pressure and depth adaptation: As diving depth increases, the lungs compress and rising pressure affects the body. Divers therefore employ specialized techniques to tolerate these pressures.

Free diving is practiced in several disciplines:

• Constant Weight (CWT): The diver descends using a constant weight without pulling on the rope.
• Variable Weight (VWT): The diver uses a weighted sled to descend and ascends without it.
• Static Apnea (STA): The diver holds their breath while motionless at the water’s surface.
• Dynamic Apnea (DYN and DNF): The diver swims horizontally underwater in a pool, either with fins (DYN) or without fins (DNF).

Free diving records continue to advance based on the physical and mental endurance of divers. Notably, Herbert Nitsch, Alexey Molchanov, Natalia Molchanova, and Derya Can gibi have set world records.

As free diving is a high-risk sport, adherence to specific safety rules is mandatory:

• Buddy diving principle: Divers must always dive with a spotter to mitigate the risk of blackout or loss of consciousness.
• Proper breathing techniques: Hyperventilation must be avoided; breathing patterns must be controlled to prevent loss of consciousness.
• Pressure equalization and ear clearing: Techniques such as Valsalva and Frenzel must be used to equalize middle ear pressure.

Free diving is not only a competitive sport but is also widely chosen as a leisure activity. It offers an opportunity to connect with nature, reduces stress, and enhances divers’ life satisfaction. Additionally, due to its place among extreme sports, it attracts the interest of many adventure enthusiasts.

• 100-Meter Record on the Republic's 100th Anniversary (1 August 2023): Şahika Ercümen became the first athlete in Turkish free diving history, among both women and men, to reach 100 meters depth using constant weight at the Vertical Blue Free Diving World Cup.
• Turkish Record at the Free Diving World Championship (12 October 2024): At the championship held in Kalamata, Greece, she broke the Turkish record by reaching 92 meters depth in the double fin category in 3 minutes and 27 seconds.

• 16 December 2016: In Kaş, Antalya, she set a world record by diving to 94 meters in the no-fins variable weight rope-assisted free diving category.
• 17 December 2016: In the same location, she set a new world record by diving to 111 meters in the finned variable weight category.
• 2017: In Salda Lake, Yeşilova district of Burdur, she broke the world record by diving to 68 meters in 2 minutes and 5 seconds.
• 2019: In the same lake, she improved her own record by diving to 70 meters in 2 minutes and 18 seconds.

Derya Can holds a total of nine world records and over sixty Turkish records in free diving. She has also won numerous medals at world championships and holds the distinction of being the first Turkish woman to be selected most frequently for the national team and to win medals internationally.