The 35th AIDA World Championship in Freediving took place in the bay of Limassol (Cyprus) with a full week of open-water dives in the Mediterranean Sea. The event gathered more than 90 athletes from 35 countries in a competition area validated by the AIDA Technical Committee, which ensured safe conditions throughout. The constant succession of national and continental records highlighted both the rising sporting level and the expansion of freediving as a globally recognized discipline.
The championship ran smoothly, with no safety incidents or weather disruptions, reinforcing Cyprus’s reputation as a successful host. The records and the satisfaction expressed by athletes confirmed both the growth of freediving and the strength of the safety protocols implemented in Limassol. On the sporting stage, Zsófia Törőcsik of Hungary was crowned overall women’s champion, while Croatia’s Petar Klovar led the men’s standings, both receiving the prestigious Natalia Molchanova Award.
The key performers of the AIDA World Championship 2025
Each competition day crowned new protagonists. In Constant Weight No Fins (CNF), Kateryna Sadurska opened the women’s medal tally with 75 meters, while Klovar secured the men’s title with 88 meters. In Free Immersion (FIM), gold went to Alexey Molchanov with 129 meters, followed by Klovar and a shared bronze between Omar Al Ghailani and Abdelatif Alouach. In Constant Weight with Bi-fins (CWTB), Sadurska triumphed again with 97 meters, while in the flagship Constant Weight (CWT) discipline, Molchanov claimed gold with 130 meters. The women’s title went to Enchante Gallardo, who reached 104 meters to set a new continental record for the Americas.
Parity defined many of the finals, with results decided more by execution quality than announced depth. In CWTB, for instance, Törőcsik secured her medal with a flawless surface protocol, while in FIM both Al Ghailani and Alouach shared bronze with identical scores. Conservative strategies also shaped the championship, such as Molchanov’s decision to secure gold without attempting to break his own world record.
Historic records and global participation
The championship ratified a remarkable number of official performances: over 25 new national records, several continental milestones, and one world record. Russia’s Alexey Molchanov set a new world record in Free Immersion (FIM) with 126 meters in 4 minutes and 46 seconds, consolidating his dominance in the discipline.
Other highlights included Talya Davidoff (South Africa, 85 m, African record), Gallardo (United States, 96 m, Americas record), and new national bests from Natalia Padró (Puerto Rico, 70 m), Daniel Kwok (Singapore, 56 m), Jihoon Jang (South Korea, 107 m), Fatemeh Saderi (Iran, 53 m), Gonzalo Cortes Tavara (Peru, 93 m), Penelope Vasquez (Dominican Republic, 25 m) and Alexandros Polemitis (Cyprus, 75 m).
The global nature of the championship was further underlined by the debut of federations from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Iran, Lebanon, India and Singapore, consolidating Limassol as a global hub for freediving. The wide representation of nations reflected the sport’s growth and the increasing competitiveness of AIDA events.
AIDA ensures safety and reliability in Cyprus
The safety system included 12 accredited safety divers, underwater scooters, counterweight systems and real-time monitoring through sonar and cameras. The AIDA Medical Committee ensured oxygen supply on the surface, a permanent evacuation team and a doctor onboard the main vessel. These protocols were praised by the athletes themselves. “I know most of the safety team and I trust them. Here I know help is close, and that is essential,” said Molchanov.
Reliability was also emphasized by Sadurska, who noted: “The organization gave us the peace of mind we needed to focus on the competition. Everything worked as planned, from logistics to medical support.” Coaches and federations shared this view, pointing to the importance of unified AIDA standards.
The competition was streamed daily through the official AIDA Freediving YouTube channel, with full replays and highlights available since September 23. The federation’s website also provides access to the schedule, start lists and the complete archive of ratified world records, ensuring transparency and accessibility of information.
