Fazza Freediving champion to honour Dubai with Guinness World Record

Fazza Freediving Champion Branko Petrovic wants to honour the people of Dubai by setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest breath-hold underwater.

The world record attempt will take place at Skydive Dubai Palm Island Drop Zone on Friday of October 10 at 5.00pm during the Middle East’s first extreme sports expo organised by SPEARO Freediving Magazine.

"I will try to hold breath for longest time ever in human history on regular air," Petrovic told Emirates 24|7 during an interview.

The existing record of 11 minutes and 35 seconds underwater on a single breath of air was set by Stephane Mifsud of France in 2009.

"You are always nervous before an attempt like this. I was surprised by the call to be chosen for the attempt. It's very important for me not only as a record but as a matter of respect for the people of Dubai who gave me the chance to do something like this," he said.

"This is the right place where the record should be done. If you go back to history, people who lived here were original free divers," he added.
 
“I am very confident that I can break the existing world record,” Petrovic said.

"The Guinness World Records in static apnea were set while freedivers hold their breath on the surface of a swimming pool. At the Fazza Freediving Championships we need to hold our breath, dive down to four meters and ascend to the surface once we have reached our limits which makes it arguably the most challenging breath hold tournament in the world,” he explained.
 
Branko earlier this year took first place in March at the 2014 Fazza Freediving Championships with a time of 9 minutes and 36 seconds. During the qualification round Branko also set a new competition record of 9 minutes and 47 seconds.
 
Zarir Saifuddin, owner of SPEARO Freediving Magazine, said: “The world record for the longest breath-hold has not been broken in five years due to the enormous challenge freedivers face in passing 11 minutes underwater on one breath. If a new record is set in Dubai I do not think it will be broken for many years to come - if ever.”
 
The world record breath hold challenge is sponsored by KEMOS Group of Companies who will be awarding Branko a prize money of Dh120,000 should he be able to set a new world record.

The prize money equals approximately Dh10,000 for every minute Branko would be required to stay underwater in order to set a new world record.
 
Mohammed Abdullah Al Khayat, CEO of KEMOS Group of Companies said: “Breath hold diving started in Dubai so it is only right that the world record for the longest breath hold be set in Dubai.”
 

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