Illinois Freediver Katie Kleinwachter warming up before the new US women’s monofin record: 115.29m
The Bar "Inched" Higher in US Women's Freediving!
Specifically, about 39 inches (1 meter). Katie Kleinwachter, the freediver out of Illinois, has pushed all three United States records in women’s dynamic freediving further in the first quarter of 2022 - two of them by approximately just 1 meter.
First reclaiming the Bi-fins record, pushing the current US record from 113m to 113.95m and then taking the monofin record from 114m to 115.29m. One-meter gains are more typical in outdoor freediving, whereas in indoor the records are usually pushed by more than one meter at a time. Perhaps we’re still all reeling and getting back in stride from a year and a half of lockdown, reduced access to the pool, and generalized turning of the world inside out. This mimics previous progress in US women’s indoor dynamic freediving, seen after the Tampa Bay Apnea Challenge held in May 2021, where the records were also pushed just 1 meter further. But here, the keyword is progress.
Progress is progress, and as a young federation this must be celebrated! We are happy to see our athletes active, motivated, and continuing to push!
Katie Kleinwachter sets the new US women’s No Fins record at 90.04m.
In Dynamic Apnea No Fins, Kleinwachter, who was competing in the Second Trial of the Catalan Championship in La Llagosta, Spain, set the bar significantly higher. Here she took her own old record and set a new personal best and the new US record at 90.04m.
Congratulations to Katie!
We look forward to 2022 continuing to be full of exciting advances for our Federation throughout the sport.
Photos courtesy of Joan Barcia.