Riv on the Record: Ant Williams

THIS WEEK  I had the great pleasure of being joined by world record freediving champion and Torquay resident Ant Williams. Spin it!

Tell us about your background and how you got into freediving. What inspired you?

I started out my career working as a Sport Psychologist, mostly in France. My athletes included a mix of motoGP racers, rock climbers, boxers, skiers, and rugby players.

After a few years of traveling on a world championship circuit for motorcycling, I realised that I needed to get some ‘lived experience’ on the techniques I was teaching these athletes.

As most of my athletes were competing in high-risk sports, I thought I should find something that would challenge me in a similar way.

Where I was living, in the South of France, freediving was a popular sport. It is basically a competition to see who can reach the greatest depth in the ocean on a single breath of air. With the intense discomfort of the sport, and the fear involved, I thought it would be an ideal choice to apply these mental fitness techniques to.

Had you always been good at holding your breath or was it a skill that you trained?

I once held my breath at school for 2mins. At the time I thought any longer would be physically impossible. With training I’ve been able to reach over 8mins. Anyone can achieve a decent breath hold with a little time and effort (when done safely away from water).

 

Diving has taken you all over the world, what’s that experience been like?

It was a fringe sport when I began 20 years ago. I embraced the competition side of things – that’s where I wanted to test myself.

Much of the competition scene initially was on the Mediterranean Coast. Over the past decade the competition scene has taken off with events throughout Europe, Asia, USA, and in the Pacific.

While the stress of competition was always a challenge, I absolutely loved travelling to compete. I always found the other competitors to be so giving with their knowledge and advice. Before my deepest dives I would often seek advice from them. I guess the sport is unusual in that regard!

 

What do you like to get up to when you’re not diving and breaking world records?

What I love most is spending time with my family and our two dogs just enjoying the Torquay beach lifestyle. I run my leadership development business out of Happy Spaces which is a communal working space on Gilbert St.

It has been a fantastic change after a decade of big firm consulting in Sydney and Melbourne. And when I’m not freediving – I enjoy riding dirt biking, going spearfishing, or experimenting with different surfboard shapes and styles.

What are the mental and physical barriers like to compete in such a difficult sport?

There are two big hurdles to overcome if you want to succeed in freediving. The first is learning to stay calm through the discomfort of a long breath hold, especially when the pressure at depth feels like it’s squeezing the life out of you. The second is dealing with the fear that comes from sinking alone into the open ocean.

On a big competition dive, you might be free-falling through darkness for two minutes before turning around and finding your way back to the surface. For me, coming to terms with that fear has been the hardest part — and easily the most rewarding.

 

What’s your next big goal with your career?

After 20 years of competition, I have moved onto a new challenge in my sport. Over the past 5 years I have been going up to the Arctic Circle to push myself in new ways – under the ice.

In 2019 I became the world’s deepest man under ice. And last year I swam the furthest distance under ice ever attempted of 182m. That one was tough. It was done in the middle of winter in Iceland and filmed in immersive format as a documentary for the Apple Vision Pro.

I have just finished writing a book about my experiences and the techniques that made me mentally fit to excel in my sport. It’s called “Let it Be Tough” and will be in all good bookstores in April!

What’s good about where we live?

For me, it’s the people and the friendships I’ve built in the Surf Coast community. There’s something special about living in a place where neighbours look out for each other, where everyone seems to share a love for the ocean, the outdoors, and a laid-back lifestyle. It’s bumping into familiar faces in the line-up, coffee catch ups after a surf, or joining community events, there’s a genuine sense of connection here. It feels like home not just because of the coastline, but because of the people who make it such a warm, grounded place to live.

RAPID RIV:

I’m coming over for dinner, what are you cooking? Mixed grill barbecue on the deck.

Pump up song? Take it Away by L.A.B. (Kiwi reggae).

Favourite movie? The Big Blue.

Favourite holiday location? Queenstown, NZ, for trail running in the mountains.