Letter from the president

The 2026 CMAS Indoor World Championships have officially come to a close.

When the United States Freediving Federation was founded in 2018, I wasn't entirely sure what form it would ultimately take. What has impressed me most over the years is how the U.S. freediving community has embraced the Federation and leveraged it as a platform to create opportunities for athletes to perform on the international stage.

This year's World Championships were another reminder of why that matters.

It is incredible to witness the personal accomplishments, national and continental records, breakthrough performances, and unforgettable experiences that come from bringing athletes together under one flag. Beyond the results themselves, I am continually inspired by the new friendships formed with freedivers from around the world and the strengthening bonds between our own teammates.

One of my favorite moments from this championship was seeing Erik Cintra support Natsuko Saito during her record-setting performance. It was a simple but powerful reminder that while freediving may appear to be an individual sport, none of us accomplish anything alone.

While success always takes a village, I would like to extend a special thank you to Avi Kleyman, who served as Team Captain for the second consecutive World Championship. Avi's leadership, support, and dedication to both the athletes and the Federation are invaluable. Having someone of his caliber on the ground allows athletes to focus on performance while providing the USFF administrative team peace of mind that everything is being handled professionally and thoughtfully from afar.

I would also like to recognize and thank our Technical Director, Francesca Owings, who traveled from the United States to Serbia to serve as one of the official judges for the 2026 World Championships. Francesca's experience, professionalism, integrity, and commitment to the U.S. freediving community are truly unparalleled. Thank you for everything you do for our athletes and our sport.

To the families, friends, training partners, coaches, and members of the U.S. freediving community: thank you. Thank you for providing these athletes with the support, encouragement, and space to explore what is possible and to represent all of us on the world stage. Your emotional support, financial support, and belief in these athletes make opportunities like this possible, and your contributions never go unnoticed.

As this championship comes to a close, the records have been updated, the performances are now part of history, and another chapter has been written in the story of U.S. competitive freediving.

But the journey continues.

Next up: Vertical Blue, Caribbean Cup, and then the 2026 CMAS Depth World Championships in Roatán, Honduras this August.

On behalf of the United States Freediving Federation, thank you to everyone who helped make this championship a success.

We are proud of every athlete who stepped onto the world stage and represented the United States with poise, grace, humility, and true sportsmanship.

One Team. One Breath. One Goal.

Jeremy Stephan
President
United States Freediving Federation