The Colombian athlete, who in 2017 lived a year full of records that consolidate her as a reference for this sport, responded exclusively to LatinAmerican Post

Leer en español: Un cuestionaro con Sofía Gómez, una de las mejores apneístas del mundo

Judging by her answers to LatinAmerican Post, the Colombian Sofía Gómez, shows to be a direct and practical person. After showing her underwater capabilities in 2017, in 2018 she has had a calmer year as she prepares for the Apnea World Cup in Turkey and the Blue Element in Dominica, her place of residence for three years.

The 26-year-old woman from Pereira recalled in 2017 the Russian Natalia Molchánova, considered by many to be the best freediver in history, after reaching 41 world records and being 23 times world champion. Molchánova died unexpectedly at age 53 in August 2015 in Formentera, Italy, while doing recreational diving with some friends, as reported by BBC Mundo.

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2017: a very successful year

Gómez beat in only days and twice the world record of constant weight with fins, which is his preferred modality: first with 83 meters and a time of 2 minutes and 43 seconds, and subsequently when descending 84 meters. The first mark was reached on July 5, and the next one on the 7th of the same month, according to data provided by El Espectador.

The same portal, reviewed days later that today confesses to Latin American Post be its most precious brand: immersion with monofin with which reached 96 meters within the framework of the Individual World Championship of the International Association for the Development of Apnea (AIDA ), which was celebrated in 2017 on the island of Roatán in Honduras and with a time of 2:45, as reflected by CNN in an interview granted by Gómez.

This is the interview that Gómez gave to LatinAmerican Post in the preview of two new competitions in her professional north.

1- With your sister Paulina competed as a child in an inflatable pool to see who could stand more time under water? Did your passion for apnea begin there?

"The relationship with my sister is very good, however, my passion for apnea did not start in that experience we had as children. It started when I made the change from swimming with fins to apnea. That change occurred because in fins I did not feel that I did it with love, I felt more than I did it out of obligation, and in apnea I felt that there were possibilities to improve much more ".

2- What is your opinion of the growth of women in various sports? Is there machismo in apnea?

"The growth is very rewarding and admirable. The greatest sporting victories that a country like Colombia has, for example, have been achieved by women. Each sport has its characteristics and differences, in the case of apnea, which is an essentially individual sport, there are equal opportunities for both men and women to achieve their goals and objectives".

3- How would you define apnea in three words?

"Concentration, discipline, passion"

4- What is the modality with which you feel most comfortable? Free immersion? Constant weight with fins? Or constant weight without fins?

"CWT; constant weight with fins "

5- What is the personal record that you most treasure: the 84-meter world weight in constant weight with fins or one of your National, South American or Pan American records?

"The Pan-American record of 96m CWT. I worked hard to achieve it."

6- Why is freediving a not-well known sport and what should be implemented to strengthen its promotion and practice?

"The conditions to practice it makes it not so well known and so common. Not all people in their daily lives have access to a pool or the sea. I think that with my sporting achievements the sport has been promoted much more, hopefully that will lead to the existing apnea schools increasing the number of people who want to practice this sport ".

7- To be a good freediver is it necessary to be a good swimmer or is it indifferent?

"It is indifferent"

8- Is it true that you are an obsessive of training?

"It is not"

9- How true is it that the Sports Institute of Antioquia has helped her a lot in your sports career?

"They helped me for a while."

10-We understand that you live in Dominica, why did you choose this island to live? Do you have any relationship with your sporting goals?

"Yes, the conditions of the island make it a great place to do my training"

11- What awaits you in what remains in this 2018 at a competitive level?

"The Apnea World Cup in Turkey and the realization of the Blu Element competition to be held in Dominica".

12- What is your favorite Colombian athlete?

"Rigoberto Urán"

13- What other names sound for the future of freediving in our continent?

"Sebastián Lira from Chile, he is very good"

14- What is it like in your free time? What do you like to do? How do you define your personality?

"I like to listen to music, interact in social media, and enjoy a good meal".

15- Have you practiced Civil Engineering, or is it something you plan to do in the future?

"No, I have not practiced it. I'm focused on dedicating myself to what I love, freediving".

LatinAmerican Post | Onofre Zambrano

Translated from "Un cuestionaro con Sofía Gómez, una de las mejores apneístas del mundo"