Vitomir Maričić becomes first Croatian inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Vitomir Maričić (Photo credit: Vladimir Soic)
ZAGREB, 29 September 2026 (Hina) – Croatian freediving world champion and Guinness World Record holder Vitomir Maričić has become the first Croatian citizen inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.
Maričić was formally inducted into the Hall of Fame’s 2026 class at a ceremony in Las Vegas on 26 September, held during Olympia Weekend at the Palms Casino Resort.
He was inducted alongside a high-profile group of sporting figures, including chess legend Garry Kasparov, UFC champion Forrest Griffin, bodybuilding champion Dexter Jackson and the Harlem Globetrotters, who were recognised as an organisation.
Maričić was the youngest inductee in this year’s class and the only one still actively competing professionally.
The International Sports Hall of Fame, established in 2012, recognises prominent figures from a wide range of sports. Previous inductees include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler.
According to the organisation, selection is based not only on sporting achievements but also on wider contributions to sport and society.
In Maričić’s case, that includes work in freediving education, training development and safety, as well as scientific and professional work and efforts to raise awareness of marine conservation.
(Photo credit: Vladimir Soic)
“I’m extremely happy to be here, especially because I almost missed the whole thing – when they first contacted me, I thought someone was joking and didn’t respond for some time,” Maričić said after the ceremony.
He said the recognition was particularly meaningful because it acknowledged work beyond competition, including training, safety, education, community engagement and raising awareness about ocean protection.
He also said becoming the first Croatian inductee felt surreal given the country’s long list of sporting achievements.
Guinness World Record
Maričić has established himself as one of the leading freedivers of his generation.
He attracted international attention early in his career by setting several world records and, after seven years of active competition, reached the top of the international rankings.
His profile grew further in 2025 when he voluntarily held his breath underwater for 29 minutes and three seconds, setting a Guinness World Record for the longest voluntary breath hold.
The same year, AIDA International – World Apnea named him the world’s top-ranked freediver based on its overall international ranking for 2025.
He continued to compete and set records in 2026.
At a competition at Kantrida in Rijeka, Maričić set a new Croatian static apnea record of 10 minutes and 30 seconds. The discipline involves holding one’s breath for as long as possible without movement.
The performance improved his previous national record by 22 seconds and placed him third on the World Apnea world ranking in the discipline, while also making it the best result recorded in 2026.
Maričić’s induction will also become part of the historical record of sport.
Documentation and materials relating to International Sports Hall of Fame inductions are preserved at the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports at the University of Texas at Austin, a research centre, archive and museum collection dedicated to the history of physical culture and sport.
(Photo credit: Vladimir Soic)
Materials from Maričić’s Las Vegas induction will therefore form part of an archive documenting sporting history for future generations.
The recognition comes while the Croatian remains an active competitor, continuing to set records and push the limits of freediving.
For Maričić, the achievement marks both recognition of a career already filled with world records and a new chapter in the international history of the sport.
