Ukrainian freediver becomes first woman to reach 90 meters without fins

Sadurska achieved the milestone in constant weight without fins (CNF), one of freediving's most demanding disciplines, in which athletes descend and return to the surface using only their own swimming movements, without fins or pulling themselves along a rope.

Her representative, Yelyzaveta Nechet, confirmed the achievement to hromadske.

According to Sadurska's team, the nearest female competitor has reached 79 meters, putting the Ukrainian 11 meters ahead. Only six men have ever reached a depth of 90 meters in the discipline.

The dive marks Sadurska's 10th world record in CNF over the past four years. Since setting her first record at 73 meters in 2023, she has improved her mark by 17 meters.

The achievement follows a difficult setback earlier this year. Sadurska said she had been preparing to attempt 89 meters in July when she suffered an injury just a week before the competition.

She underwent urgent treatment, including antibiotics, and competed despite not having fully recovered. Near the end of her dive, she lost consciousness for the first time in her 10-year career and was disqualified.

"It was a difficult experience that forced me to reconsider my approach to training," she said.

Sadurska, who represented Ukraine at the 2016 Rio Olympics and is an 11-time freediving world champion, has spent recent years moving between countries because Russia's full-scale invasion has made deep-water training in Ukraine impossible.

She said the war had pushed her to prioritize international competitions and that her latest record was intended as a reminder of Ukrainians' determination to persevere despite constant attacks and disruptions to electricity, water, heating and communications.

The AIDA Blue Element November 2026 competition runs from November 8 to 17 in Dominica, a Caribbean island nation.