Croatia’s Mirela Kardašević sets new freediving world record in Athens

Croatian freediving star Mirela Kardašević (Photo: Private album)

ATHENS, 26 May 2025 – Croatian freediving star Mirela Kardašević has achieved a sensational result at the World Pool Freediving Championships held in Athens, taking home two gold medals and setting a new world record in the dynamic with monofin discipline.

The competition gathered 275 athletes from over 40 countries, making it one of the most competitive events on the freediving calendar.

Kardašević faced an early challenge on the first day, finishing fourth in the no-fins discipline after a technical error during preparation.

A misjudgement in weights led to early fatigue, forcing her to cut the dive significantly shorter than her personal best.

Mirela Kardašević (Photo: Private album)

However, the Croatian champion bounced back in remarkable fashion the following day. In the dynamic with bifins discipline, she delivered a powerful 263-metre dive, securing her first gold of the tournament.

The performance was just half a metre shy of the world record. It also marked a significant improvement on last year’s result, where she claimed silver in the same event.

After two days of rest, Kardašević returned for her strongest event – dynamic with monofin – and made history. She set a new world record with a stunning 284-metre dive, surpassing her own previous record of 282 metres set in 2023.

(Photo: Private album)

“The new season has started brilliantly,” said Kardašević. “After two smaller competitions, the World Championships were a real test of form. I won two gold medals and set a new world record. Despite the setback on the first day, I managed to stay focused and find motivation. It was an extremely demanding competition with strong rivals, which makes this my most successful performance to date.”

(Photo: Private album)

She also expressed gratitude to the Croatian Olympic Committee for their continued support, her coach Ivan Drviš, club DPS Zagreb, and the ŠRC Sisak sports centre.

(Photo: Private album)

Croatia’s success did not end there. Hrvoje Škorić impressed in the men’s dynamic with bifins event, diving an impressive 278 metres to finish fourth – narrowly missing out on a podium finish.

In the masters category, Sandra Žuvela made her mark with two silver medals in the 2×50 m and 4×50 m speed apnoea disciplines.

The Croatian national team’s outstanding results in Athens reflect a strong presence on the world freediving stage, with the next big challenge coming at the World Games in August.