Breath-taking! Diver holds his breath underwater for 24 MINUTES 33 SECONDS to set new world record 

Breath-taking! Diver holds his breath underwater for 24 MINUTES 33 SECONDS to set new world record

  • Budimir Buda Šobat, 54, held his breath underwater for 24 minutes 33 seconds
  • His attempt broke his own previous world record time by over two minutes
  • He performed his world record attempt in a swimming pool in the town of Sisak
  • It’s hoped his record will help raise funds for victims of an earthquake in the area

A Croatian daredevil has broken his own world record for holding his breath underwater after staying submerged for almost half an hour.

Budimir Buda Šobat, 54, was already the Guinness World Record holder, but over the weekend he managed to break his own record, setting a new time of 24 minutes and 33 seconds. 

Taking place in a swimming pool in the town of Sisak, Šobat was under supervision from doctors, reporters and supporters as he completed he record attempt.

To prepare himself, Šobat hyperventilated on pure oxygen in the minutes leading up to the record attempt, which increases the level of oxygenation within his body.

Croatian daredevil Budimir Buda Šobat, 54, (pictured) has broken his own world record for holding his breath underwater after staying submerged for 24 minutes and 33 seconds

Taking place in a swimming pool in the town of Sisak, ¿obat was under supervision from doctors, reporters and supporters as he completed he record attempt

Taking place in a swimming pool in the town of Sisak, Šobat was under supervision from doctors, reporters and supporters as he completed he record attempt

The former bodybuilder turned his focus to static diving, becoming one of the world’s top 10 divers before he set his old record of 24 minutes 11 seconds beneath the water.  

Now though, with years of training and conditioning behind him, Šobat has trained his body to pump oxygenated blood around his body, in particular his brain, more slowly. 

His training has also prepared him for involuntary muscle spasms that occur around 18 minutes beneath the water due to a lack of oxygen.

To deal with this, he counts the spasms as a coping mechanism to help him stay conscious beneath the surface of the water. 

To prepare himself, ¿obat hyperventilated on pure oxygen in the minutes leading up to the record attempt, which increases the level of oxygenation within his body

To prepare himself, Šobat hyperventilated on pure oxygen in the minutes leading up to the record attempt, which increases the level of oxygenation within his body

Now though, with years of training and conditioning behind him, ¿obat has trained his body to pump oxygenated blood around his body, in particular his brain, more slowly

Now though, with years of training and conditioning behind him, Šobat has trained his body to pump oxygenated blood around his body, in particular his brain, more slowly

Due to the minutes of pure oxygen inhalation prior to his attempt, Šobat was able to hold his breath for more than double the current world record time for static apnea, which doesn’t involve the additional oxygen.  

Despite the dangers of the world record, Šobat said he was inspired to break his own record by his daughter Saša, 20, who has cerebral palsy, autism and epilepsy.

Šobat’s record breaking attempt was also performed in the hope of raising funds for the area, which had been devastated by an earthquake back in December, and for the children affected. 

In particular, he hopes to be able to rebuild the Room of Miracles of the Association of Persons with Disabilities of Sisak-Moslavina County whose premises was destroyed in the earthquake.

Speaking before his attempt, Jutarnji reported Šobat said: ‘I am going to dive guided by the logic that I get involved, the best I can, to beautify and help in the efforts of everyone there.’

The former bodybuilder turned his focus to static diving, becoming one of the world's top 10 divers before he set his old record of 24 minutes 11 seconds beneath the water

The former bodybuilder turned his focus to static diving, becoming one of the world’s top 10 divers before he set his old record of 24 minutes 11 seconds beneath the water

¿obat's record breaking attempt was also performed in the hope of raising funds for the area, which had been devastated by an earthquake back in December, and for the children affected

Šobat’s record breaking attempt was also performed in the hope of raising funds for the area, which had been devastated by an earthquake back in December, and for the children affected