The World Apnea 2026 Pool Championships closed in Budapest with two contrasting stories. Bevin Reynolds (RSA) produced a final-day comeback to win the women’s overall title. Mateusz Malina (POL) sealed the men’s title with his second world record of the week.
Malina’s win meant every discipline at the championships produced a world record. Across four days, the Duna Arena delivered four.
Malina’s Double
Malina had already won Dynamic Bi-Fins and set a world record in Dynamic No Fins. He closed the week with 325 metres (1,066 feet) in Dynamic Apnea, a new world record. It broke the previous mark of 319 metres (1,047 feet) held by Ming Jin of China – the athlete who would take men’s overall bronze.
It was Malina’s second world record of the championships and the fourth of the event. He finished on 539.4 points, almost 100 clear of the field, the only athlete to set more than one world record in Budapest. Across four days he claimed two world records, two discipline wins and the men’s overall title.
Guillaume Bourdila (FRA), second overall going into the final day, did not register a score in the closing discipline. Philipp Heinzelmann (GER) moved up to silver. Ming Jin (CHN) took bronze, 0.6 points behind.
Reynolds Storms Back
Reynolds began the final day in second, 6.6 points behind Heike Schwerdtner (GER). One discipline remained. She answered with the longest swim of her championship: 256 metres (840 feet) in Dynamic Apnea, a new African continental record. It overturned the deficit and won her the title by more than twenty points.
The swim capped a landmark week for the South African. She set three African continental records – in Dynamic Bi-Fins (DYNB), Dynamic No Fins (DNF) and Static Apnea (STA).
Four Records In Four Days
Malina’s closing swim completed a clean sweep. Every pool discipline produced a world record.
| Discipline | Athlete | Country | Mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Bi-Fins (DYNB) | Magdalena Solich-Talanda | Poland | 270m (886ft) |
| Dynamic No Fins (DNF) | Mateusz Malina | Poland | 252m (827ft) |
| Static Apnea (STA) | Heike Schwerdtner | Germany | 9:39 |
| Dynamic Apnea (DYN) | Mateusz Malina | Poland | 325m (1,066ft) |
Men’s Overall Results
| Medal | Athlete | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Mateusz Malina | Poland | 539.4 |
| Silver | Philipp Heinzelmann | Germany | 441.3 |
| Bronze | Ming Jin | China | 440.7 |
Women’s Overall Results
| Medal | Athlete | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Bevin Reynolds | South Africa | 420.2 |
| Silver | Heike Schwerdtner | Germany | 398.8 |
| Bronze | Nara Martins Ishikawa | Brazil | 393.8 |
By The Numbers
The final day alone produced five continental records and 34 national records – the largest single-day tally of the week. Across four competition days, athletes set four world records, multiple continental records and dozens of national records. 264 athletes from 60 countries competed.
What Comes Next
The freediving season now moves from the pool to open water. The World Apnea 2026 Depth Championships take place in Limassol, Cyprus, from 27 September to 10 October 2026.
Watch The Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the World Apnea 2026 Pool Championships?
Mateusz Malina (Poland) won the men’s overall title with 539.4 points. Bevin Reynolds (South Africa) won the women’s overall title with 420.2 points.
How many world records were set?
Four — one in every discipline. Magdalena Solich-Talanda in Dynamic Bi-Fins (270m), Mateusz Malina in Dynamic No Fins (252m), Heike Schwerdtner in Static Apnea (9:39), and Mateusz Malina in Dynamic Apnea (325m).
What world record did Mateusz Malina set on the final day?
He swam 325 metres (1,066 feet) in Dynamic Apnea, his second world record of the week. It broke the previous mark of 319 metres held by Ming Jin of China.
How did Bevin Reynolds win the women’s title?
She started the final day 6.6 points behind Heike Schwerdtner. Her 256-metre (840-foot) swim in Dynamic Apnea set an African record, overturned the deficit and won the title by more than twenty points.
Did every discipline produce a world record?
Yes. Malina’s Dynamic Apnea record completed a clean sweep across all four pool disciplines — the standout statistic of the championships.
What is next for World Apnea 2026?
The World Apnea 2026 Depth Championships take place in Limassol, Cyprus, from 27 September to 10 October 2026.
Photos courtesy of Effie Benjamin. Video courtesy of AIDA International. Press distribution by ICARUS Sports.
