Sofía Gómez
Sofía Gómez Uribe (Latin American Spanish: [soˈfia ˈɣomes uˈɾiβe]; born 15 April 1992)[1] is a Colombian freediver and civil engineer. She holds six national records in three different freediving disciplines ("depth apneas"), a Bolivarian Games record set at the 2013 Games in Trujillo, Peru, that won her a gold medal in the Women's individual dynamic apnea free-diving event, and a Pan-American record in dynamic apnea with equipment.[2][3]
Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Sofía Gómez Uribe |
Born | 15 April 1992 |
Alma mater | National University of Colombia at Medellín |
Sport | |
Sport | Freediving |
Achievements and titles | |
Regional finals | 2013 Bolivarian Games |
Medal record |
Personal life
Gómez was born in Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia. Her parents Francisco and Mónica are from Santa Marta. Gómez attended the Immaculate Heart of Mary School. In 2001, she took up synchronised swimming and in 2002, she took up finswimming. After finishing high school, Gómez moved to Bogotá for a year and now lives in Medellín.[4] In 2016, she graduated from the National University of Colombia at Medellín, and she now works as a civil engineer.[1][5] In 2017, Gómez set up a fundraising campaign to help people in Dominica affected by Hurricane Maria.[6] In 2020, Gómez apologised for racist and classist comments made on Twitter between 2010 and 2011.[7][8]
Goméz is in a relationship with chef Juan Diego Vanegas.[9] The couple announced their engagement in June 2021,[10] and married in March 2022.[11]
Career
In 2013, a friend encouraged Gómez to take up freediving, a sport that involves underwater diving without breathing apparatus. After some training, she managed to dive 40 metres (130 ft), and decided to take up the sport professionally.[4] In her first year, Gómez attempted to break the Pan-American record for dynamic apnea, but became unconscious after swimming for 180 metres (590 ft).[2]
In 2014, she broke the dynamic apnea record by swimming for 195.76 metres (642.3 ft) in Chiapas, Mexico.[2] In 2016, she broke the Pan-American records for the constant weight with fins and free immersion events at the Vertical Blue competition.[5]
In 2017, she broke the CMAS Constant Weight Bi-Fins freediving world record after descending 83.1 metres (273 ft) in a time of 2 minutes and 43 seconds, beating Alenka Artnik's previous record of 82 metres (269 ft) set the previous year in Kaş, Turkey.[4][5][12] Two days later, she broke her own world record by diving 84 metres (276 ft).[4][12][13][14] At the 2017 CMAS World Championship, Artnik and Ukrainian Nataliia Zharkova both dived 85 metres (279 ft).[15][16]
In 2018, Gómez participated in a scientific study to measure her body's functions in extreme conditions.[14] In September 2018, Gómez set a new women's world record with a Constant Weight with bi-fins (CWT) dive to 86 metres (282 ft). The record was set under World Underwater Federation (CMAS) rules at the Kas Baska freediving competition in advance of the CMAS World Championships.[17]
In 2021, Gómez returned to freediving, having taking a break due to a medical issue and the COVID-19 pandemic. She was sponsored by Grupo Argos.[18] She came third at the 2022 Vertical Blue event.[19]
References
- "Biography". Sofía Gómez Uribe. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- Isaza, Julián (4 November 2015). "Sofía Gómez, una deportista que toca fondo". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Colombia acortó la distancia en el medallero | Antonio del Duca atrapó el oro 111 para Venezuela en los Bolivarianos". Correo del Orinoco (in Spanish). 26 November 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- "Sofía Gómez se sumerge para llegar a lo más alto". El Espectador (in Spanish). 7 July 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Sofía, 83 metros bajo el nivel del mar". El Colombiano (in Spanish). 6 July 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Sofia Gomez, free diver who dreams of representing Colombia at Olympics". EFE. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- Deportes, Otros (12 February 2020). "Sofía Gómez pidió perdón por trinos racistas y clasistas del pasado". El Espectador (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- "Apneista Sofía Gómez pidió perdón por polémicos tuits de hace años". El Tiempo (in Spanish). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- "La foto que confirmaría el compromiso entre Sofía Gómez Uribe y el chef Juan Diego Vanegas". Infobae (in Spanish). 8 June 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- "La apneista Sofía Gómez y su pareja podrían casarse". Diario AS (in Spanish). 8 June 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- "La pereirana, de 29 años, contrajo nupcias con Juan Diego Vanegas, chef del programa 'Día a Día'". Caracol Televisión (in Spanish). 19 March 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- "New CMAS Freediving World Record in Constant Weight With Bi-Fins 2017". The Free Diving Club. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Las 3 claves del éxito de Sofía Gómez Uribe, la mejor apneísta de América". BBC News (in Spanish). 17 October 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- "Colombian free diver Sofia Gomez undergoes tests for extreme conditions". EFE. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "Alenka Artnik: Sloveniji neznana šampionka, ki se sto metrov pod vodno gladino počuti kot doma". Times.si (in Slovenian). 11 November 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "Results – 1st CMAS European Apnea Outdoor Championship And Open International Competition Kaş, Antalya – Turkey 2017". Sportalsub.net. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- "Sofia Gomez Uribe sets new CMAS Constant Weight (Bi-Fins) World Record". Scuba Diver Magazine. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- "¡Vuelve al agua! La apneísta Sofía Gómez se alista para competir en Chipre". El País (in Spanish). 1 July 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- "Mateusz Malina and Arnaud Jerald Set New World Records at Vertical Blue 2022". Dive Photo Guide. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.