Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić has redefined the limits of human endurance by setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest time breath held voluntarily underwater using oxygen, clocking in at an astonishing 29 minutes and 3 seconds.
Maričić, one of the world’s elite freedivers, achieved the feat in a hotel pool on June 14, 2025, surpassing the previous record by nearly five minutes.
The record-breaking attempt was accomplished using a sanctioned technique in which the athlete pre-breathes pure oxygen for a period of time before the dive. This process, called denitrogenation, flushes nitrogen from the blood and maximizes the oxygen saturation in the body, giving him approximately five times the normal oxygen reserve.
Despite the preparation, the experience was still an immense physical and mental ordeal.
“I wanted to give up many times,” Maričić told Science Norway. “It felt almost like being poisoned… Everything got worse and worse physically, especially for my diaphragm, because of the contractions. But mentally I knew I wasn’t going to give up.”
The champion noted that after the 20-minute mark, the experience became “easier, at least mentally,” which allowed him to maintain the focus needed to push to the new record.
Maričić dedicated his successful world record attempt to raising awareness and collecting donations for ocean conservation efforts through the Sea Shepherd organization.
The performance also highlights the significant difference between oxygen-assisted and “pure” static apnea records. The world record for breath-holding without supplemental oxygen remains at 11 minutes and 35 seconds.
