DATELINE: 26 April, 2002

FIONA BEATS WORLD DYNAMIC APNEA RECORD
Fiona Gowland, a marine biology PhD student from Aberdeen, swam 100m underwater, without fins and on a single breath, at a competitive swimming event in Chester. Her distance beat the previous world record of 95m.
The distance has been ratified as an official UK record by officials from the British Freediving Association. However, it will not be an official world record because there were no international judges from AIDA present at the event.
"To hold an official world record I would have to pay for the judges to be flown over and accommodated. I would also have to pay 500 US dollars for an IOC drugs test. The only sponsorship I've had is a free Speedo suit," explained Fiona, a BSAC Sport Diver who has also represented Scotland as a competitive swimmer.
Her chances of getting recognised have also been set back by the cancellation of the world individual freediving event in the Red Sea, due to be held this summer. So at present the official world record is still held by Natalie Deserac of France, with a distance of 95m; and the UK record stands at 100m. The Sports Council have yet to recognise the British Underwater Sports Association, so no funding is available from government sources for either freediving or octopush events.

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