Stunning footage shows a record-breaking freediver sink more than 100 feet to the bottom of one of the world’s deepest pools – on just one breath.
Stig Pryds serenely descends through the water in the lotus position, clutching his ankles as he quietly meditates.
Within two minutes, he has completed his dive down Nemo 33 – one of the world’s deepest pools – in Brussels.
The Danish athlete, who suffers from psoriatic arthritis, used to need a cane to walk and was in constant pain.
But he made big changes in his life in January 2013.
After taking some swimming classes and doing breathing exercises to manage his condition, he discovered his exceptional gift for holding his breath for long periods.
He took up freediving and yoga, overhauled his diet and began meditating.
Stig Pryds serenely descends in the lotus position into one of the world’s deepest pools – Nemo 33 in Brussels
The Danish athlete clutches his ankles and uses his weight to push downwards
Stunning footage shows him maintain his yoga pose as she drifts to the bottom of the deep pool
‘I decided to set myself free from the massive intake of medication which dulled and inactivated me,’ he writes on his website.
‘I isolated myself for two weeks in a beach house and went through a turbulent and uncomfortable detox on my own – and luckily, I succeeded.’
After a few weeks, he could walk without his cane for the first time in years.
Within a year he had broken the Danish world record for the deepest freedive – plummeting an astonishing 300 feet with no breathing apparatus.
Stig sits peacefully at the bottom of the 100 feet-deep pool, still holding his breath
Onwards and upwards: Stig preparing to swim back to the surface. He uses a rope to pull himself up
Calm: Stig embraces his final moments underwater, keeping his eyes closed and appearing very relaxed
Mission accomplished: Stig emerges at the surface of the water after his incredible freedive
And he has also been teaching others who suffer from chronic illnesses how to unleash their potential and improve their quality of life.
‘The calm and peace that embrace me and fill me up when I dive towards the bottom of the ocean have become an irreplaceable part of my life,’ he writes.
‘Freediving gave me passion for life again.’