At just 15, Robert College Prep student Ada Olpak became a junior world champion at the 2026 CMAS Freediving World Championship in Novi Sad, Serbia.
Representing Türkiye, Ada competed in four pool disciplines: Dynamic Apnea with a Monofin, Dynamic Apnea with Bi-fins, Dynamic Apnea without Fins, and Static Apnea. Her defining performance came in Static Apnea, where she held her breath for four minutes and 37 seconds, breaking her personal record and claiming the world title. She also completed distances of 113 meters with a monofin and 100.5 meters with bi-fins.
Ada’s journey to the podium demanded extraordinary perseverance. Growing up in Edremit as the daughter of two teachers, she began freediving after her family noticed her natural confidence underwater. Following the sudden death of her first coach, the limited availability of trainers meant traveling hundreds of kilometers for practice—sometimes spending five hours on the road for a single hour in the pool.
After entering Robert College, she often attended six a.m. sessions before rushing to class. She qualifies for the national team in April 2026, and was competing for Türkiye just two months later.
“You are all by yourself underwater,” Ada says. “If you have belief and passion, there is no limit to what you can do.
