Carlos Coste

Carlos Coste is a legendary freediver and multiple world record holder who began his journey into apnea in 1997. His early years in Venezuela were marked by intense self-teaching and exploration, as formal freediving knowledge was scarce at the time. Despite limited resources, his passion and curiosity drove him to experiment with techniques, eventually achieving 60-meter depths in under three years—without any formal international training.

He began at the University Underwater Activities Club (CASA-UCV) in Caracas, where he learned the basics and became part of a tight-knit community of spearfishers and sport divers. Training regularly in both spearfishing and freediving, Carlos quickly rose through the ranks. In 2000, he competed in his first international event—the Nice Freediving Team World Cup—where the Venezuelan team earned bronze among 29 countries. This marked the start of an extraordinary career.

Carlos became the first freediver to surpass the 100-meter barrier in unassisted disciplines such as Constant Weight (CWT) and Free Immersion (FIM). He also ventured into extreme environments, setting records at altitude and in underwater caves. In 2006, during a -182m training dive for a No Limits world record attempt, Carlos suffered a severe air embolism. Although he completed the dive and surfaced with a clean protocol, he soon experienced serious symptoms. His recovery—led by a team and supported closely by Gaby, his then-wife—included months of hyperbaric therapy and intense training.

By 2007, Carlos returned to competition, setting new world records and continuing to push boundaries. Since 2014, he has lived in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean, where he co-founded Deepsea Freediving School. Today, he shares his decades of experience with students from around the world who seek to learn from one of freediving’s true pioneers.

See Carlos' AIDA rankings.