Kiwi diver's record

William Trubridge. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand free diver William Trubridge battled the debilitating effects of narcosis to set another world record in the Bahamas yesterday.

The 29-year-old reached a depth of 116m without fins in the Vertical Blue competition at Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island.

Trubridge spent 4 minutes, 9 seconds under water without the aid of oxygen, using a form of breast stroke to propel himself and claim the record.

"It was hard to get the tag from the bottom as I struggled with some narcosis," he said. "But it's great to have the free immersion record again."

Divers can suffer from nitrogen narcosis, which produces a state similar to drunkenness.

It was Trubridge's 10th world record, and puts him in first place for the competition to find the world's best all-round freediver.

Earlier this week Trubridge set another world record in the "constant weight" discipline. Trubridge became the first person to dive on one breath without fins to a depth of over 300 feet.

The free-diving event runs until April 27.