Keritchenko Dominates Freediving Showdown

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahraini season sees record 4:44 underwater feat

Russian-born Bahraini resident Andrei Keritchenko claimed first place in the Freediving – HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa Round, part of the 8th Nasser Bin Hamad Season for Maritime Heritage Sports. The competition was held in the waters adjacent to the Yacht Marina on Amwaj Islands.

Keritchenko, who won the title in last year’s edition, posted a remarkable 4 minutes and 44 seconds underwater, setting the benchmark for the event and outlasting his rivals. Mahmood Mohammed Al Jasr finished second with 4 minutes and 14 seconds, while Fahad Ahmed Al Boustah took third place in 3 minutes and 29 seconds.

The contest attracted around 50 participants, featuring amateur enthusiasts and maritime sports fans alike, all competing in a highly organized setting with strict safety measures in place. Spectators enjoyed the action-packed event along the coastline.

The freediving competition forms part of the broader Nasser Bin Hamad Season for Maritime Heritage Sports, which began in July and runs through mid-November. The season includes open-water swimming races, pearl diving, traditional rowing competitions, fish-catching contests, and the newly introduced “Al Niham” event, featuring participants from Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The season is organized under the directives of HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, and President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, aiming to celebrate Bahrain’s maritime heritage and instill national pride in younger generations.