Zharkova Won Freediving Gold With 113-Meter Depth
Nataliia Zharkova secured the top spot in the CWT discipline, while Zsófia Törőcsik claimed the overall world title.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Swimming
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Nataliia Zharkova claimed the gold medal in the constant weight (CWT) discipline at the Freediving World Championship in Limassol, Cyprus, after reaching a depth of 113 meters. Meanwhile, Zsófia Törőcsik secured the overall women's world championship title with a total of 374 points.
Why it matters
Freediving competitions represent the pinnacle of breath-hold endurance and physical control in extreme underwater environments. These events demonstrate the limits of human physiological adaptation to pressure and oxygen deprivation at extreme depths.
Official championship results confirm Nataliia Zharkova achieved a 113-meter depth in the CWT event without penalties. Zsófia Törőcsik clinched the overall title with 374 points, followed by Sanda Delija with 338 and Mojca Haberman with 308 points.
The players
Nataliia Zharkova
An elite freediver who achieved a gold-medal depth of 113 meters in the CWT discipline.
Zsófia Törőcsik
The overall women's world champion who finished the competition with a total of 374 points.
Jade Agboton
A competitive freediver who secured the silver medal in the CWT event with a 101-meter dive.
Sanda Delija
A professional freediver who placed second overall in the championship standings with 338 points.
Mojca Haberman
An athlete who finished third in the overall championship standings with 308 points.
The details
In the CWT discipline, athletes must descend and ascend using constant weight, which means they cannot drop ballast during the dive. This requires exceptional lung volume management and equalizing techniques as pressure increases at depths reaching 113 meters. Törőcsik finished third in the specific CWT event after an early turn at 108 meters, yet her accumulated performance across all disciplines secured her the overall victory.
Timeline
The Freediving World Championship took place from September 30 to October 9, 2026.
Nataliia Zharkova performed her gold-medal dive on October 8, 2026.
Health Landscape
This event highlights the increasing performance benchmarks within the AIDA Freediving World Championship circuit. These results illustrate the evolving limits of human performance in breath-hold diving under stringent international competition rules.
Elite freediving puts extreme stress on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, particularly through rapid pressure changes and hypoxia. Readers interested in breath-hold activities should discuss the significant inherent risks with a physician before attempting similar training.
The takeaway
The competition showcases how refined technique allows athletes to safely navigate high-pressure depths that exceed 100 meters. For those training in water-based endurance, prioritizing professional supervision and gradual progression is essential to managing the risks of shallow-water blackout.
Further reading
For more on the physiological and training demands of elite water sports, explore our section on Swimming.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rubryka.
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