Sofía Gómez Uribe: the story of her records in the oceanic abyss
While eating a buñuelo and drinking coffee, sitting in an office full of cameras and microphones in Envigado, the freediver Sofía Gómez Uribe said laughing that everything about her was very predictable. The comment was a joke after seeing the blue lights that El Colombiano's video team put in the podcast room to set the mood. To keep up with the conversation, a journalist said that's why he had put on a blue shirt for the interview. The Colombian freediving queen looked at one of the rings on her hand and laughed: it was a sea wave.
TL;DR
- Sofía Gómez Uribe is a top-tier freediver who was born in Pereira and considers Medellín her home.
- She achieved multiple world records in freediving within a few years, gaining significant recognition after a photo of her 90-meter dive went viral in 2015.
- Gómez Uribe set a new Pan American record with a 110-meter dive in Dominica in late 2025.
- She describes freediving as a solitary, active meditation that requires confronting oneself and overcoming mental challenges, such as the fear of the unknown and the physical sensations of breath-holding.
- A personal tragedy involving a friend in Dominica helped her regain perspective and enjoy freediving again, leading to her breaking the 100-meter barrier and setting new records.
- She emphasizes the importance of routine in achieving mastery and finds joy in the process of training and diving, despite the physical and psychological demands.
- Gómez Uribe makes a living as a content creator and has accepted a leadership role in the Antioquia League of Underwater Activities, aiming to stay involved in the sport for decades to come.