Holding their breath for the record

2:20pm Thursday 24th July 2008

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Two underwater swimmers will hold their breath tonight, fight off the fear of drowning, and attempt to break a UK record.

Unlike most sports, where athletes try to get the adrenalin pumping, the free-divers will work themselves into a state of near sleep before they enter the water at the Malden centre in Blagdon Road.

The trick is a series of breathing exercises to slow the breathing which gradually lowers the heart rate and makes the swim easier.

"IT geek" Alan Barber, 35, who works in Hook, is the current UK recordholder and will try to swim 202 metres with a single fin attached to his feet.

In February he swam 127 metres without fins, achieving a “white card” - not breaking cover - and staying underwater for two minutes and 12 seconds.

He said: "You never know what you are capable of. We have grown up believing a length underwater is a big deal but the vast majority of people can quite comfortably do at least two lengths."

Fellow No-Tanx member Liv Philip, the current double UK recordholder, will swim 120 metres underwater (at least five lengths of the pool) with no fins.

She already holds the UK record for static apnea - holding your breath underwater without moving - and told the Surrey Comet: "A record attempt is slightly stressful and there's more nerves going on. Your heart rate goes up and we don't want that."

International freediving coach Marcus Greatwood said: "It is just like swimming underwater as a child. You try and do a width but your mate is trying to do a length. But this is on a different scale. It is extremely difficult."

The attempt at the Malden centre in Blagdon Road, will be witnessed by a representative of AIDA, the worldwide federation for breath-hold diving.

Watch videos of the swimmers