Jenna Black: Freediving World Championships Experience

My Experience at the 2024 Freediving World Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Written By Jenna Black.

This past June, I found myself in Kaunas, Lithuania, competing at the Freediving World Championships—a surreal experience in my freediving journey. This event, held annually, brings together the best freedivers from across the world to compete in pool freediving disciplines, testing both their physical and mental strengths.

For me, the road to Kaunas was a bit of a leap of faith. A year ago, I left my corporate media job and decided to dedicate myself fully to freediving, a sport and profession that has transformed my life in so many ways. Training for this competition involved many months of preparation – Training in the pool to fine tune my fitness, technique and breath-hold, as well as competing in qualifying competitions to earn a spot on the Australian team.

Freediving isn’t just about physical conditioning. It’s also a mental game. Much of my preparation revolved around mindfulness, visualisation and breathing exercises to keep my mind calm under pressure.

Despite all the preparation, nothing could fully prepare me for the experience of competing on this world stage—representing Australia alongside some of the sport’s legends. The mix of excitement and nerves, was overwhelming, but it also made every moment unforgettable.

A Nervous Start and a Funny Mishap

My first dive in the dynamic bi-fins category will forever be etched in my memory—not just for the performance but for the chaotic moments leading up to it. As I prepared, my nerves were already running high. Competing alongside the world’s best freedivers, with a live audience watching, was daunting. That morning, I’d even cried a few tears from sheer nervousness!

But the real mental chaos happened three minutes before my dive. Sitting poolside, ready to get in, I realised I had forgotten my fins. They were still upstairs in the athletes’ area at the other end of the pool! Panic set in. I couldn’t dive without them, and time was running out.

Thankfully, Matt, my biggest supporter, sprinted to retrieve them. With just over a minute and a half to spare, I slipped into the water, heart racing. In that moment, I let go of all expectations and focused on doing my best.

Despite the shaky start, I managed a competition personal best of 141 meters – a clean, white-card dive. It wasn’t my smoothest performance, but given the circumstances, I was proud. That dive taught me that even in moments of high stress, it’s possible to find calm!

A Record-Breaking Highlight

The highlight of the competition for me was the static apnea event, where I achieved a breath-hold of 6 minutes and 25 seconds, breaking the previous Australian record by 7 seconds.

It was one of those dives that felt good from the start. All the right things happened: my heart rate slowed, I wasn’t counting seconds or worrying about the clock. I was simply in the moment, trusting my body and my training. When I surpassed my previous competition best by almost 40 seconds, I made the decision to end the dive. It was too far into the unknown, and I knew I had achieved more than what i came for. Surfacing smoothly, I completed a clean surface protocol, earning a white card.

It was a surreal moment, made all the more exciting by my teammate Kate also surpassing the national record and claiming the new Australian record of 6:43! Moments like these show the true camaraderie of freediving – cheering each other on as we push our limits.

Our Aussie team wasn’t the only source of inspiration. Watching my training buddy and fellow OceanSense instructor, Matt as he represented the UK, achieve a new personal best in the men’s event was incredible. Sharing this journey and achieving a goal we had set may months before, made the experience even more special.

Reflections and Gratitude

Competing at the World Championships was about more than personal bests – it was about community and shared passion. From the incredible organisers and safety divers to fellow athletes and friends, the event was a celebration of the sport we all love.

Looking back, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for this experience. Freediving has taught me to embrace challenges, find peace in uncertainty, and celebrate every achievement, no matter how small. In writing this i’ve enjoyed reliving the, grateful for every dive, every lesson, and every person who made this experience unforgettable.

To anyone dreaming of pursuing their passion: take the leap. You never know where it might take you.

– Jenna Black

If you’d like to know more about freediving or improve your skills, join one of our courses or retreats – i’d love to share this incredible world with you!