Nearly Half an Hour Without Air – Is It Humanly Possible?
Croatian Freediver Sets Guinness World Record for Longest Breath-Hold
Vitomir Maričić Holds Breath for 29 Minutes – A New Freediving Milestone
On June 14, Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić achieved a feat that almost defies belief. After inhaling pure oxygen, he submerged himself in a pool and remained motionless for 29 minutes and 3 seconds.
This stunning performance, verified by Guinness World Records, shattered the previous record by nearly five minutes. Nearly half an hour without a breath — how is that even humanly possible?
Human Limits vs. Marine Mammals: Can Freedivers Compete With Dolphins and Seals?
To put Maričić’s achievement into perspective, the average person struggles to hold their breath for just 30 to 90 seconds. Even elite athletes rarely exceed 10 minutes. Yet Maričić stayed submerged for nearly 30 minutes — almost twice as long as a bottlenose dolphin is believed to hold its breath.
Marine mammals are built for long dives. A harbor seal, for example, can replace up to 90 percent of the air in its lungs with each breath, while humans manage only about 20 percent. So how did Maričić close that gap?
The Role of Pure Oxygen in Breaking the Record
The secret lies in preparation. Before attempting the record, Maričić inhaled pure oxygen for 10 minutes, dramatically increasing the amount of oxygen dissolved in his blood plasma.
In an Instagram reel, the athlete explained that he began his attempt with nearly five times more oxygen in his body than normal. This gave his muscles and tissues a crucial reserve, making the seemingly impossible possible.
Without this technique, lasting almost half an hour underwater would not have been achievable. But even when breathing ordinary air, Maričić’s lung control is remarkable — he can voluntarily hold his breath for up to 10 minutes and 8 seconds.
Freediving Without Oxygen: The Ultimate Test of Human Endurance
While Maričić now holds the title for the longest voluntary breath-hold with oxygen assistance, the record for an unaided breath still belongs to Branko Petrovic of Serbia, who managed 11 minutes and 35 seconds in 2014.
Will Maričić one day attempt to break that as well? Given his growing list of world records, it wouldn’t be surprising.
Beyond Records: A Message of Ocean Conservation
For Maričić, the achievement wasn’t only about human endurance. According to Guinness World Records, he chose to make his attempt in June to raise awareness about ocean conservation.
By pushing the boundaries of what the human body can do, he hopes to draw attention to protecting the very waters that make freediving possible.
What Does This Mean for the Future of Freediving?
Maričić’s record forces us to rethink the limits of human physiology. Could training methods like oxygen pre-breathing allow athletes to rival marine mammals one day? Will the next challenge be breaking Petrovic’s unaided record?
What is certain is that this Croatian freediver has set a new benchmark, not just for freedivers but for anyone fascinated by the extremes of human potential.
Source: Nearly Half an Hour Without Air – Is It Humanly Possible?
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