Amid freediving boom, Hongkongers hold breath for world title quest in Japan
The Freediving World Championship opens in Japan on Wednesday with Hong Kong upping its representation this year to six divers, amid a boom in the sport.
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Tens of thousands of people each year across East and Southeast Asia alone have been taking up this mode of underwater diving – holding one's breath rather than using scuba gear – encouraged by the region's suitable seas and exposure such as Netflix's The Deepest Breath documentary.
Some competitions measure depth, but the action in Wakayama will centre on the pool, testing endurance without oxygen in various fin and non-fin categories.
Vicky Li freediving in a pool. Photo: Handout
Among the Hong Kong contingent is Vicky Li Jiaoyi, who holds city records in six disciplines but is strongest in dynamic apnea without fins (known as DNF), involving swimming using a modified breaststroke technique, and dynamic apnea with fins (DYN), using a monofin or similar.
'I started freediving in 2022 after the pandemic,' Li, 31, said. 'At that time, I was working for an investment bank and hadn't had a holiday for three years.
'When Hong Kong opened up after the pandemic, I went overseas and took some basic courses in Thailand, and I really got into the underwater world.'
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Travelling remains a theme for enthusiasts based in the city, with freediving locations in short supply locally.
The Hong Kong Freediving Association's president, Chris Cheung Lap-hing, said the sea locally would suffice for beginners, but those looking to go deeper needed to head to Taiwan, the Philippines or elsewhere, while local swimming pools were not welcoming to divers using large fins.
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