��������

JEDDAH: At just 25 years old, Saudi freediver Salma Shaker has ensured her name features in the sporting halls of fame.

When she took place at the elite, invite-only Vertical Blue competition in the Bahamas this year — the first athlete from the Kingdom to be asked — she broke four Saudi national records — 55m free immersion, 62m constant weight with fins, 42m constant weight no fins and 66m deep constant weight bi-fins.

Her freediving journey started when she was 18, inspired by a lifelong love of the sea. Born into a family with deep ties to the ocean — her father being a captain and marine geologist — she grew up exploring the shores and shallow waters of Jeddah’s coast.

Her early training with instructor Mariam Shalan set her on a path that led quickly to competition. She took various national and regional titles including Deepest GCC Woman in 2019 and Deepest Arab Woman in 2024 and 2025, with two dives of 66 meters and 70 meters, respectively.

For Shaker, freediving is more than a sport — it’s therapy: “The ocean is my peace,” she told Arab News.

She believes her ability to find calm is the key to her success, especially at Vertical Blue where she described feeling a surreal, almost out-of-body stillness, before each dive.

“Ever since I started freediving, I’ve always wanted to compete in Vertical Blue,” she said. “I was trying to get my invitation for two years, and when I finally did, it was something I couldn’t believe. I felt so honored that I was the first Arab woman to represent there and raise the Saudi flag.”

Freediving, she added, is about overcoming both physical and mental challenges.

Freediving isn’t just a sport—it’s about connection: to yourself, to nature, and to something greater. I want to show that Arab women can lead in extreme sports, not just compete. I also want to highlight how precious and unique our Red Sea is.

Salma Shaker, Saudi freediver

“The mental challenge that you ideally face is just getting over the fear in your head. It’s a lot to go down while not wearing a mask, not seeing anything around you—and it’s also deep. That’s why you learn to completely relax,” she said.

“The physical challenge for me is equalizing my ears the deeper I go. It just needs practice, new techniques and repetition.”

She says that, for her, the sport is also about advocacy. Last year, Shaker was featured in “Beneath the Surface: The Fight for Corals,” a Red Sea Global documentary highlighting marine conservation. She has since partnered with the company to champion coral reef protection and promote sustainable tourism.

“My connection with Red Sea Global actually goes back a long way, and it's been really special. I first visited one of their amazing resorts back in 2021 and honestly, I was blown away,” she said. “Their whole approach — how they link everything to the sea and blend nature so beautifully into their projects — just clicked with me instantly.”

The company now sponsors her.

“They're exactly who I want by my side as I push boundaries and share stories through the water,” she said. “(They’re not) just building resorts; they're creating something completely new with regenerative tourism.”

Looking ahead, Shaker is preparing for the CMAS World Championship in September — but she says freediving is about more than setting or breaking records.

“After competing in Vertical Blue, I feel pretty happy and ready for whatever’s next. I hope to inspire people to understand the power of silence, breath and inner strength,” she told Arab News.

“Freediving isn’t just a sport—it’s about connection: to yourself, to nature, and to something greater. I want to show that Arab women can lead in extreme sports, not just compete. I also want to highlight how precious and unique our Red Sea is.”