Sara Campbell goes for more records

Introduction

13.02.2008 - Sara attempts to set two more records at first ever pool competition.

© Adam Butler Big Splash Pictures

Sara Campbell, the 35 year old Briton, who shocked the world by setting three World Records within 48 hours just nine months after starting the extreme sport of freediving, will attempt to set two national records in her first ever pool competition on 23rd February in Berlin.

Sara, nicknamed 'Queen of the Deep' after she smashed all the depth World Records in October last year, is now hoping to make her mark in the pool disciplines, that of pure breath-holding, and swimming lengths underwater.

The current national record for static breath-hold is five minutes 32, held by Liv Philip. The current national record for dynamic is 119 metres, held by Hannah Stacey. Sara is hoping to break both these records on her first ever attempt at pool competition.

Sara explained: "I have been training pool disciplines for the past few weeks and find it far harder than even my world record dive to 90 metres on just one breath. It is extremely challenging to hold my breath this way, but I have managed well over five minutes now, so the national record is potentially within my reach."

The reason Sara finds pool diving so much harder is to do with the mammalian dive reflex; when the body is immersed in water, the pressure of the water sets in motion a series of natural physiological responses that more or less switch off the body's urge to breathe, and enable longer breathholds. In the pool disciplines, either floating on the surface, or swimming at just one metre beneath the surface, the element of water pressure on the body is removed, and therefore the body retains a much stronger urge to breathe. Combine that with the fact that the next breath can be just one second away in the pool, as opposed to a non-negotiable two minute swim to the surface, and static and dynamic become a pure psychological battle to resist our most basic impulse, to simply breathe.

 Many people base compare deep results to pool potential – a four minute deep dive can be doubled to give an eight minute static, and Sara's 90m dive – there and back – means she should easily be capable of a 180m dynamic, both of which would place her in the top three women in world.

Sara will be in the UK for media interviews from 1st – 9th March. She will be speaking at the London International Dive Show on 8th and 9th March at London's Excel.

For more information, or to contact her, please visit www.sarafreediver.com, or call +20 12 744 5646 until 16th February, or 07949 005944 after that date.