Indian freediver Dinesh Soundappa has set a new national record in the men’s category after completing a 34.6-metre dive at San Antonio Beach in Calapan on March 4.
The 33-year-old surpassed the previous national record of 24.8 metres, which was set by Geo Joe Arakkal in January 2025 in the Maldives.
Freediving is a water sport in which divers hold their breath and rely on physical control and mental discipline to descend deep underwater, often reaching depths beyond 40 metres.
Journey from curiosity to record
Soundappa, who is now a freediving coach and part-time real estate developer, discovered the sport during a snorkelling trip to the Maldives in 2021.
The experience sparked his interest in the underwater world and encouraged him to explore freediving more seriously. He later attended a one-week freediving retreat in Thailand where he began structured training.
“Beyond the physical aspect, I discovered its profound mental health benefits,” Soundappa said, reflecting on his introduction to the sport.
He subsequently trained for three years with Freediving Coaches of Asia and the Australian training group Freediving Family.
Training challenges in India
Despite his growing passion, Soundappa said finding suitable training locations in India proved difficult.
“There are not many places to practise freediving. Quarries can be good spots, but they are not open to the public. Once I was even asked to leave when I tried to dive into a well,” he recalled.
He later trained under coach Jeroen Eloutfounder of Freediving Coaches of Asia, who introduced him to a minimalist diving philosophy focused on safety and self-reliance.
Record broken twice
During training in the Philippines, Soundappa initially surpassed his personal best with a 25-metre variable weight dive, already exceeding the earlier national record.
However, freediving records must be officially filmed for verification. He returned the next day and completed a 31.5-metre dive that was documented and confirmed as a national record.
On the final day of his trip, despite suffering from a ruptured wisdom tooth and preparing to return to India, Soundappa completed another dive that reached 34.6 metres — breaking his own national record once again.
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