Mateusz Malina tightened his grip on freediving’s hardest pool record. The Pole swam 252 metres (827 feet) on a single breath to win Dynamic No Fins (DNF) on day two of the World Apnea 2026 Pool Championships at the Duna Arena in Budapest. The record is pending doping results.
DNF is the purest pool discipline. Freedivers cover the greatest distance underwater on one breath, with no fins and no propulsion aid.
The swim carried Malina past the 250-metre wall – five lengths of an Olympic pool, without fins, on one breath. It was the fifth time he has raised his own world record. His progression reads 226m (741ft), 232m (761ft), 244m (801ft), 250m (820ft) and now 252m (827ft). He has held the DNF world record without a break since 2014. No other athlete has taken it from him in twelve years.
It was the second world record of the championships. Magdalena Solich-Talanda set the first in Dynamic Bi-Fins on the opening day.
Hungary’s Day
The men’s record was the headline. The home story belonged to Zsófia Töröcsik. A day earlier, Solich-Talanda had broken Töröcsik’s Dynamic Bi-Fins world record. Töröcsik had also taken her first red card in a dynamic discipline.
She answered in front of a home crowd. Her 207 metres (679 feet) won the women’s DNF title, set a Hungarian record and beat her own personal best by four metres. It put her ahead of Solich-Talanda, the athlete who had taken her world record the day before.
Silver and bronze came down to the smallest margin. Solich-Talanda and Bevin Reynolds both reached 202 metres (663 feet). Solich-Talanda took silver on the accuracy of her announced performance. Reynolds took bronze.
Women’s DNF Podium
| Medal | Athlete | Country | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Zsófia Töröcsik | Hungary | 207m (679ft) |
| Silver | Magdalena Solich-Talanda | Poland | 202m (663ft) |
| Bronze | Bevin Reynolds | South Africa | 202m (663ft) |
Men’s DNF Podium
| Medal | Athlete | Country | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Mateusz Malina | Poland | 252m (827ft) |
| Silver | Guillaume Bourdila | France | 202m (663ft) |
| Bronze | Philipp Heinzelmann | Germany | 200m (656ft) |
Continental Records
Both athletes claimed a second continental record of the championships.
- Bevin Reynolds (South Africa) – Africa, 202m (663ft)
- Nara Martins Ishikawa (Brazil) – South America, 170m (558ft)
National Records
Athletes set 18 national records on the day: 11 by women and 7 by men. 209 athletes competed in DNF.
What Happens Next
Competition takes a rest day on 4 June. Static Apnea (STA) follows on 5 June, and Dynamic Apnea (DYN) on 6 June. The championships run through 7 June at the Duna Arena. 264 athletes from 60 countries are competing across four pool disciplines. AIDA International organises the event.
Watch The Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dynamic No Fins (DNF)?
DNF is a pool freediving discipline. Athletes cover the greatest distance underwater on a single breath, with no fins and no propulsion aid.
What world record did Mateusz Malina break?
He swam 252 metres (827 feet) in DNF at the Duna Arena in Budapest. It beat his own world record of 250 metres (820 feet). The record is pending doping results.
How many times has Malina broken the DNF world record?
Five. His progression runs 226m (741ft), 232m (761ft), 244m (801ft), 250m (820ft) and 252m (827ft). He has held the record without a break since 2014.
Who won the women’s DNF title?
Zsofia Torocsik of Hungary, with 207 metres (679 feet). The swim set a Hungarian record and a personal best on home water.
Why did Solich-Talanda take silver ahead of Reynolds when both swam 202 metres?
Magdalena Solich-Talanda and Bevin Reynolds both reached 202 metres (663 feet). Solich-Talanda took silver on the accuracy of her announced performance. Reynolds took bronze.
When do the World Apnea 2026 Pool Championships finish?
They run through 7 June 2026. Static Apnea takes place on 5 June and Dynamic Apnea on 6 June, after a rest day on 4 June.
Photos courtesy of Effie Benjamin. Video courtesy of AIDA International. Press distribution by ICARUS Sports.
