In continuation to her last victory — a national record in freediving at the nOxyCup 2024 in Hungary — in November, Archana Sankaranarayanan broke two more national records in May. At the AIDA Mabini Depth Quest, held between May 1 and 6, she claimed four national records — breaking one of her previous bests.
Archana, set two more records — yet again, outdoing her previous record — at the Hug Cup, held between May 16 and 18 in Panglao, Philippines. “I feel really proud of the hard work that I put in and also relieved that I achieved all my goals for this season of competitions,” shares Archana. Adding to her achievements this year was receiving the GP Birla Fellowship for women leaders.
Beyond setting and breaking records, this international champion advocates for accessibility in all nuances of the sport. She says, “Currently, freediving is limited in access. While swimming proficiency is essential, advancement beyond Level 2 often necessitates international travel, thereby hindering progress for individuals without passports, despite their capabilities.” Archana is eager to focus on this specific cause.
On the personal front, to advance the sport further, Archana undergoes research and carefully selects her coaches and diving schools. “This time, it was my dream to learn from Sergei Busargin at Kaizen Freediving because I aimed to train in Constant Weight No Fins CNF, one of the most challenging freediving disciplines, as it is performed without fins or line support,” she says.
Archana had watched Sergei’s YouTube videos before enrolling to be trained under him. “He refined my skills in the pool and ocean and taught me dry exercises on land to improve my technique and skills, which benefited me during the competition,” she says.
Archana’s preparation included extensive visualisation, breathwork, and meditation. Additionally, she utilised the ‘Still’ app by Aastha Gupta, which, according to her, offers holistic training to improve lung health, proving highly beneficial for freediving.
Though she underwent rigorous training for months, she faced roadblocks throughout the competition. The first was the new location, Mabini in the Philippines, which necessitated rapid adaptation to the unique conditions. She says, “It was also my first platform competition. Last year’s competition utilised a buoy. This platform line required two to three days of line training for me to become comfortable.”
Furthermore, the competition featured world champions attempting to break world and continental records. “While the opportunity to compete alongside such legends was inspiring, it was equally intimidating. However, they were all generous in sharing their experiences and journeys, so I tried to maximise my opportunity and focused on my plans,” she adds.
Archana is already observing a significant increase in the number of women freedivers in our country. “I frequently receive messages from female divers who have initiated their journey after being inspired by mine, which is very meaningful to me.”
On a parting note, she shares her advice to all the aspiring freedivers. “Carefully consider your options. Given that the sport is still in its early stages in India, there are numerous opportunities in freediving, making it an ideal time to explore the sport comprehensively,” she signs off.