On June 14, 2025, in a hotel pool in Opatija, Croatia, Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić lay back beneath the surface and didn’t breathe—incredibly—for 29 minutes and 3 seconds. The attempt, verified by Guinness World Records officials and witnessed by roughly 100 spectators, smashed the previous oxygen-assisted mark by nearly five minutes and instantly became one of the most astonishing endurance feats ever recorded. Maričić framed the effort as both a personal challenge and a way to draw attention to ocean conservation, adding a purpose that extended beyond physiology and performance.
While “holding your breath” sounds simple, the record sits at the intersection of careful science, meticulous training, strict safety protocols—and significant risk. Here’s what happened, how it compares with past records (with and without oxygen), what the science says about the dangers of extreme apnea, how elite athletes train for it, and how similar principles can help you swim faster, farther, and colder—safely.
The New Benchmark—and What “Oxygen-Assisted” Means
Guinness lists Maričić’s mark—29:03—as the longest time breath held voluntarily underwater (male). The attempt followed Guinness rules for oxygen-assisted static apnea, which allow breathing 100% O₂ before submersion (in Maričić’s case, 10 minutes). Pre-breathing oxygen raises body oxygen stores and blunts the normal “panic” signal from carbon-dioxide-sensing chemoreceptors, delaying the urge to breathe and pushing the body deeper into its oxygen reserves. Maričić later described the last minutes as a battle against painful diaphragm contractions rather than a crisis of will.
How big a leap is this? The prior oxygen-assisted record stood at 24:37, set in 2021 by fellow Croatian Budimir “Buda” Šobat—a mark Maričić bested by almost five minutes. Before Šobat, Spain’s Aleix Segura held 24:03 (2016), and earlier attempts included David Blaine’s televised 17:04 (2008).
It’s important to distinguish oxygen-assisted records from unaided, competition “static apnea” records (no pure O₂ allowed). Under AIDA International rules (the sport’s governing body), the men’s static apnea record is 11:35 by Stéphane Mifsud. Guinness has separately recognized Branko Petrović at 11:54 in 2014 under its protocols—illustrating how sanctioning bodies keep different ledgers depending on event definitions and verification standards.
How It Stacks Up to Marine Mammals (Reality Check)
Human O₂-assisted apnea now exceeds typical dolphin dives and overlaps the upper range of harbor seals. Bottlenose dolphins commonly dive for 20–40 seconds and can hold for around 10–15 minutes in extreme cases; harbor seals typically stay down a few minutes but can reach about 30 minutes. But we’re still far shy of the true champions: elephant seals can remain submerged up to two hours, and Cuvier’s beaked whales have been recorded on dives lasting 222 minutes (3 hours, 42 minutes). O₂ helps humans stretch the envelope, but marine mammals evolved a different league of adaptations.
Is Holding Your Breath For That Long Dangerous?
Even for experts with medical oversight, prolonged apnea can be dangerous. Key risks include:
• Shallow-Water Blackout (Hypoxic Blackout). Hyperventilation before a hold (or the dynamics of ascent during a dive) can suppress the CO₂ signal that normally forces you to breathe, leading to sudden loss of consciousness without warning—often near the surface. Blackouts in water are frequently fatal without immediate rescue.
• Lung Barotrauma and “Squeeze.” As pressure increases at depth, lung volume decreases; if compression surpasses tissue tolerance, pulmonary barotrauma or edema can occur, presenting as chest tightness, coughing, or even blood in sputum.
• Decompression Stress. Surprisingly, repetitive or deep breath-hold diving can produce gas bubbles and decompression-like illness in some contexts. Case reports describe neurological symptoms in breath-hold divers.
• Other Concerns. Chronic exposure may affect renal function and other systems, though long-term outcomes are still being studied. Bottom line: the margin for error shrinks quickly as efforts become extreme.
• Safety: All serious apnea training belongs under qualified instruction, with strict protocols, a trained buddy, and no hyperventilation. The best practices involve normal breathe-ups before a final inhale and immediate recovery breathing after surfacing.
How Elite Freedivers Train Their Bodies and Minds
- They harness the mammalian dive response. Submerging the face and holding your breath triggers a reflex suite: bradycardia (slowed heart rate), peripheral vasoconstriction (directing blood to the brain and heart), and splenic contraction (dumping extra red blood cells to raise oxygen-carrying capacity). Training seems to amplify parts of this response; in elite divers, spleen size and lung volumes correlate with performance, and short training blocks can measurably alter spleen dynamics.
- They build CO₂ tolerance and manage hypoxia—progressively. Common tools include CO₂ and O₂ tables (structured intervals that progressively increase breath-hold difficulty), apnea walks (breath-holds while gently walking), and relaxation drills. These methods condition the body and—crucially—the mind to remain calm as CO₂ rises and diaphragm contractions begin.
- They perfect breathe-ups and recovery breathing. Contrary to myth, hyperventilating before a hold is dangerous. Best practice is a normal, calming breathe-up, a full but unforced final inhalation, and then post-apnea “hook”/recovery breathing (short, pressurized inhales with brief holds) to rapidly restore oxygen saturation and maintain airway control after surfacing.
- They respect strict supervision. Organized training and competitions require safety divers and rehearsed rescue protocols. Recreational swimmers and triathletes should never simulate extreme apnea underwater; even pool “hypoxic sets” have led to tragedies.
Previous Records: A Short, Clear Timeline
- Oxygen-assisted (Guinness):
• 29:03 – Vitomir Maričić (Croatia), Opatija, June 14, 2025.
• 24:37 – Budimir Šobat (Croatia), 2021.
• 24:03 – Aleix Segura (Spain), 2016.
• 17:04 – David Blaine (USA), 2008 (televised). - Unaided static apnea (no O₂ before the hold):
• AIDA: 11:35 – Stéphane Mifsud (France).
• Guinness: 11:54 – Branko Petrović (Serbia, 2014).
These categories are sometimes conflated in headlines; the underlying rules differ, which is why it’s valuable to specify “oxygen-assisted” vs. “unaided.”
What This Training Unlocks Beyond Breath-Holding
You may never aim for minutes-long apnea, but the underlying respiratory control, efficiency, and mental composure translate directly into other aquatic goals.
Swim Faster: Breathing muscles and hydrodynamics
• Train the engine: Respiratory muscle training can produce measurable performance gains in sprint and mid-distance events. Stronger breathing muscles reduce the metabolic cost of ventilation and may delay fatigue.
• Streamline to save energy: Reducing drag—by maintaining a tight, aligned body position—has an outsized effect on speed.
• Use breath rhythm wisely: Regulating breathing patterns helps balance oxygen delivery with efficient stroke mechanics.
Swim in Cold Water: Habituate the “cold shock” response
The gasp, hyperventilation, and heart-rate spike you feel on first immersion—cold shock—can be reduced with progressive exposure. Even a handful of sessions of repeated cold-water entry can blunt the reflex, making cold swims safer and more comfortable.
Practical takeaways: Accumulate short, supervised cold exposures; wear insulation when needed; and always swim with safety support in open water.
Swim Longer: Fueling, pacing, and technique for distance
• Fuel early and often: Marathon swimmers refine feeding routines, minimizing stoppage time.
• Rehearse pacing: Training long swims at 65–75% of goal pace prepares both body and mind.
• Protect shoulders: Efficient technique reduces drag and fatigue over hours in the water.
A Final Word on Purpose and Responsibility
Maričić’s record—performed under tight controls with medical and safety oversight—demonstrates a remarkable human capability and, in his case, a platform for ocean advocacy. But it also underscores a non-negotiable truth: extreme breath-holding is inherently risky. For most swimmers, the smartest way to apply “apnea lessons” is indirectly—by building respiratory strength, mastering relaxation, refining streamlining, acclimating safely to cold, and rehearsing feeding and pacing for long efforts.
If you’re inspired to explore breath-hold training, do it the right way: get instruction, use a buddy, avoid hyperventilation, follow recovery-breathing protocols, and keep in-water holds conservative. Adaptations accumulate over weeks and months; there’s no shortcut that’s worth your life.
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