Abu Dhabi: The UAE is set to compete for the first time at the 2015 World Freediving Championships in a bid to dominate a sport that is firmly entrenched in the country’s history and culture.
A nation-wide search is now under way to find the UAE’s best freedivers as the UAE embarks on a mission to become world champions in a discipline that is at the heart of Emirati heritage.
In freediving, competitors attempt to gain as much depth or time as possible under water in a single breath, and at the moment, it is one of the fastest growing athletic pursuits in the world.
AIDA UAE, the national freediving association endorsed by AIDA International (Association Internationale pour le Développement de l’Apnée), and the Emirates Diving Association (EDA), believes it is time for the nation to draw on centuries of pearl diving expertise and demonstrate its prowess on the world stage. It has set a target of World Championship success in 2015, and aims to assemble a team of six Emiratis to compete.
“There’s an incredible passion for the sport in the UAE, and that’s based on the long history of pearl diving in the country,” said Ahmad Khoory, Control Engineer at Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (ADMA-OPCO), who is the President of AIDA UAE and the current UAE Freediving Champion.
