Diving deep to realise a dream

Dubai: Sara Al Gawi, a 14-year-old Emirati school girl, is the youngest budding female freediver in the UAE and has won several awards in the Fazza Freediving Championship.

Sara has developed a love for the deep blue seas since she was a child and would picnic on Jumeirah beach with her parents. Her mother, Ayesha Al Awadi, a geography teacher, has pushed her youngest daughter to realise all her dreams on land and underwater.

"I started about a year ago when I was training for the Fazza competition," said Sara, who practices Constant Weight diving — staying static at depth for the longest time possible.

"You have to stretch before getting in the water, I don't go that deep, around two metres," she said.

Responsibilities

With school responsibilities and exams, Sara did not have much time to practise, but her best time is 55 seconds.

"I'm not scared. In the beginning it was difficult, especially when you want to breathe, but over time it just gets easier and easier."

Sara is a keen sportswoman and scuba diver. She has also competed in weightlifting competitions.