India's first generation of freediving stars are making waves and inspiring a new era for the sport

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The nerves calm, the mind clear, a deep breath later, Akshay Thatte immersed face-first in the water. He was competing in the Static Apnea category at the AIDA Malaysia Freediving Pool Games last December. By the time he surfaced, 5 minutes and 16 seconds had elapsed.

The effort landed him the national record.In June, he’ll be looking to improve on his mark at the World Apnea Pool Championships in Hungary, alongside two other athletes from India, Archana Thiagarajan, 34, and Vachan Gowda, 33.“It’s the paradox of freediving, trying to stay relaxed when all along you’re not breathing,” Thatte, 36, says.Freediving ran informally for decades until the International Association for the Development of Apnea (AIDA) was formed in 1992. They put in place rules and guidelines, while also organising competitions and promoting the sport around the world. In open waters, freediving is about how deep an athlete can go.

Over in the pool, like at the upcoming competition, it’s down to how far they can swim horizontally—there are separate categories where one can use fins (DYN) and bi-fins (DYNB), and another for no fins (DNF)—besides the Static Apnea (STA) where the athlete is stationary. What is common to all disciplines is the single breath of air and how long they can make it last.After retiring from the Indian Army in 2022, Thatte discovered freediving while pursuing scuba diving in Havelock in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It allowed him to get closer to marine life without the frills or distractions of an oxygen tank.