2026

AIDA Asian Freediving Cup 2026 — Days 1 and 2

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The 10th edition of the AIDA Asian Freediving Cup is underway at Y-260, the 260-meter deep platform off Doljo Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines. Sunny skies and generally calm ocean conditions have welcomed 95 athletes from 23 countries for what is already shaping up to be a memorable edition of Asia’s premier depth freediving competition.

Women’s Day 1 — July 14

The women competed first, and they delivered an exciting day of diving.

See all the dives here:

Continental Records Fall Early

The biggest performance of the day came from China’s Ning Jingyu, who dove to 114m in CWT for a new Asian Continental Record. This was not a surprise: Jingyu had already successfully completed this dive during official training, and she was just as strong on competition day. Her new record improves on her own previous mark of 112m, set just one year ago at SuperHOME’s AIDA Official Friday competition in July 2025.

Right after Jingyu, USA’s Enchante Gallardo dove to 104m in FIM for another new Asian Continental Record. Gallardo had been building toward this depth step by step, having already successfully completed 102m and then 103m in FIM in pre-competition training. The 104m was a natural next step, and she reached it cleanly. Her previous continental record was 101m, set at Blue Element 2025 in November.

A Milestone for Mariko

Japan’s Mariko Kaji, a well-known and beloved diver at SuperHOME, had one of the most celebrated moments of the day. She dove to 100m for a personal best, breaking the 100-meter barrier for the very first time. It was a beautiful milestone, and one the entire platform celebrated.

Welcome Back, Naomi

Also from Japan, Naomi Iwazawa had been open about her situation before the competition: no depth training for five weeks, and arriving in Panglao only a few days before the event. Despite her doubts, she dove to 85m in CWTB and received a white card. It was a strong reminder that the body and the ocean can surprise you in the best way when you have the right attitude and approach.

A Tough Moment for Alice

Turkey’s Alice Ellialtioglu, who holds the Turkish national record in CNF, attempted a new national record of 67m in a discipline she is very comfortable in. Unfortunately, the dive ended in a disqualification at the bottom plate. A small kick while securing her tag pushed her slightly upward, and when she reached for the line to begin her ascent, she grabbed above the candy cane zone—the three-meter area near the bottom plate where athletes are allowed to hold the line freely. It was a hard end to a promising dive, but with three competition days still ahead, there is plenty of time to come back stronger.

The Korean CNF Race

One of the most interesting storylines of the women’s competition is building around the Korean national record in CNF. Four athletes are all capable of breaking it: Kim Namin, Yuk Jinseul, Cho Jisook, and Lee Yongju (Jace). On Day 1, Jisook matched the existing record with a clean 57m dive, equaling the mark set by Kim Hyemi (Mimi) in 2023. Namin came very close, diving to 56m, just one meter away. With three competition days still remaining for the women, the race to this record is one to watch for at AFC 2026.

Men’s Day 1 — July 15–16

The men were scheduled to compete on 15 July, but the ocean had other plans. Despite sunny skies, strong currents persisted throughout the morning. After a handful of dives and nearly two hours of waiting for conditions to improve, the competition organizers made the call to postpone the day entirely to prioritize athlete safety and fairness. The men would return the following day, with July 18th (originally a rest/backup day) now added as an additional competition day to make up for the postponement.

When the men returned on July 16th, conditions were better. But unlike the women’s day, the men’s opening produced a colorful mix of cards, making it one of the more dramatic opening days in AFC history.

Current Strikes Again

The first four dives of the day all ended in early turns. Alexey Molchanov, announced to 131m in FIM, turned at 129m. Slovakia’s Martin Ruman, heading to 115m FIM, turned at 110m. Taiwan’s Huang Hua Yang, announced to 112m, turned at 79m. And USA’s Brad Stephens, heading to 106m in FIM, turned at 95m. A couple of the athletes reported encountering current at around 60m depth, and with the line visibly vibrating, they made the smart decision to turn early, collect points with penalties, and save their energy for the three competition days still ahead.

Lee Daesung Delivers

Korea’s Lee Daesung (known to everyone as Nanna) brought a welcome moment of relief to the day. In official training leading up to the competition, Nanna had consistently made small mistakes in his surface protocol on dives to 95m, frustrating given the depth was clearly within his ability. On competition day, he dove to 95m again and this time executed a perfect surface protocol, earning himself a well-deserved white card and a satisfying performance.

Rocky’s Lucky Number

China’s Ziyu Rocky Liu, known among the athletes for his constant smile and sunny personality, made a successful dive to 88m in CWTB. The number 88 holds special meaning in Chinese culture: 八八 (bā bā) sounds similar to 发发 (fā fā), meaning fortune and prosperity. An excellent and very fortunate start for Rocky!

A Warm Welcome for Henri

Finally, a warm mention for Henri Frederic Reforeal, the resident Filipino athlete competing at AFC 2026. Henri joined the competition at short notice after another athlete withdrew, leaving him almost no time to train beforehand. Despite this, he dove confidently to 46m in FIM and surfaced to a white card. While his FIM personal best sits considerably deeper, Henri’s performance showed exactly the spirit that makes freediving such a special sport. We’re wishing him many more joyful dives in the days ahead.

The AIDA Asian Freediving Cup 2026 continues with the women’s second competition day on July 17th. See you on the platform!

Sponsors of AIDA Asian Freediving Cup 2026:

Organizers of AIDA Asian Freediving Cup 2026

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