Heike Schwerdtner held her breath for 9 minutes and 39 seconds to set a new Static Apnea world record on day three of the World Apnea 2026 Pool Championships at the Duna Arena in Budapest. The record is pending ratification following routine doping control.
Static Apnea is the stillest pool discipline. Athletes hold their breath for as long as possible while floating face down at the surface.
The swim sat at the top of one of freediving’s great record runs. Schwerdtner first broke the 9:02 mark in 2024, a record that had stood for eleven years. She raised it to 9:22 in 2025, and now to 9:39 – the closest a woman has come to the 10-minute barrier.
She said the result reflected “ten years of steady progress.” She added that she had set out to “pass nine minutes rather than chase a record.”
Third Record In Three Days
Schwerdtner’s swim delivered the third world record in three days of competition. Magdalena Solich-Talanda set the first in Dynamic Bi-Fins on the opening day. Mateusz Malina set the second in Dynamic No Fins the day after.
The performance capped a strong championship for the German. A day earlier she set a national record in Dynamic No Fins, then returned to break her own world best in her signature discipline.
Women’s Static Apnea Podium
| Medal | Athlete | Country | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Heike Schwerdtner | Germany | 9:39 (WR) |
| Silver | Yuriko Ichihara | Japan | 7:41 |
| Bronze | Fiona De Sousa | South Africa | 7:25 (CR) |
Men’s Static Apnea Podium
| Medal | Athlete | Country | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Florian Dagoury | France | 9:01 |
| Silver | Aleksandr Maksimov | AIN | 8:54 |
| Bronze | Mateusz Malina | Poland | 8:37 |
France’s Florian Dagoury, a former Static Apnea world champion, took the men’s title with 9:01. Malina’s bronze carried extra weight: it made him the only athlete to win a medal in all three pool disciplines contested so far – gold in Dynamic Bi-Fins (DYNB), gold in Dynamic No Fins (DNF), and bronze in Static Apnea (STA).
South Africa’s Day
South Africa set two African records in the pool. Fiona De Sousa took the women’s mark to 7:25, which also won her bronze. Anton De Wet set the men’s mark at 7:08.
- Fiona De Sousa (South Africa) – Africa, women, 7:25 – Continental Record
- Anton De Wet (South Africa) – Africa, men, 7:08 – National Record
National Records
Athletes set eight national records on the day: six by women and two by men. 192 athletes competed in Static Apnea.
How The Championships Finished
Dynamic Apnea, the final discipline, followed on 6 June to close the championships. The event ran from 30 May to 7 June at the Duna Arena in Budapest. 264 athletes from 60 countries competed across four pool disciplines. AIDA International organises the event.
Watch The Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Static Apnea (STA)?
Static Apnea is a freediving discipline. Athletes hold their breath for as long as possible while floating face down at the surface.
What world record did Heike Schwerdtner set?
She held her breath for 9 minutes 39 seconds in Budapest, a new women’s Static Apnea world record. It is pending ratification after routine doping control.
How does her record compare with her previous marks?
Schwerdtner first broke the long-standing 9:02 record in 2024. She raised it to 9:22 in 2025, and now to 9:39 - the closest a woman has come to the 10-minute barrier.
Who won the men’s Static Apnea title?
Florian Dagoury of France, a former Static Apnea world champion, with 9:01. Aleksandr Maksimov (AIN) took silver with 8:54 and Mateusz Malina (Poland) bronze with 8:37.
Why is Mateusz Malina’s bronze significant?
The bronze made Malina the only athlete to win a medal in all three pool disciplines contested so far - gold in Dynamic Bi-Fins, gold in Dynamic No Fins, and bronze in Static Apnea.
How many world records were set at the championships?
Schwerdtner’s was the third world record in three days of competition, after Magdalena Solich-Talanda in Dynamic Bi-Fins and Mateusz Malina in Dynamic No Fins.
Photos courtesy of Effie Benjamin. Video courtesy of AIDA International. Press distribution by ICARUS Sports.
