Jana Strain claims top honor as a blossoming freediver

Santa Monica's Jana Strain (pictured) was recently named the best new female freediver of 2008 by the International Center for Apnea Recognition and Education (ICARE). It's the highest honor someone new to the sport of breath-hold diving can achieve.

She began freediving only six months ago after taking a class. She trained only two months before breaking the North American record with a swim 561 feet in "dynamic apnea" with fins. 

Her swift progress caught the attention of the international freediving community.

"I was honored to even be nominated," she said in a news release issued along with the photograph. "To actually win is astonishing. I am very thankful for this honor and want to thank all for the support I have received since starting on this journey."

Dynamic apnea is an underwater swim for distance on a single breath using fins. The previous record was 492 feet.

The International Assn. for the Development of Freediving is the global sanctioning body for freediving, individual and team competition, and freediving world-record attempts.

-- Pete Thomas

Comments

[Jon K.]

Wow. She is beautiful.