A Croatian man named Vitomir Maričić has set a new world record by holding his breath underwater for 29 minutes and 3 seconds. This amazing event took place on June 14 in a hotel pool in Opatija, Croatia. Five judges and about 100 people watched as he lay at the bottom of the three-meter-deep pool. He broke the earlier record by more than four minutes.

Before going underwater, Maričić breathed pure oxygen for some time. This is a method allowed by Guinness World Records to prepare the body. By doing this, his lungs were filled with more oxygen than usual. This extra oxygen helped him stay underwater much longer than normally possible. He remained lying calmly at the bottom with his hands behind his head.

Maričić shared that after 20 minutes, things became mentally easier, but his body felt increasingly uncomfortable. His diaphragm experienced strong contractions, making it physically challenging. Still, he was determined not to give up. He thanked his team, family, and friends for supporting him throughout the effort.

This record is for holding breath with pure oxygen preparation. Without using pure oxygen, the world record is shorter—about 11 minutes. Most people can only hold their breath for half a minute to a minute and a half. Maričić himself can hold his breath for more than 10 minutes without breathing pure oxygen first.

The technique of pre-breathing oxygen is sometimes used in movie underwater scenes. It helps increase the amount of oxygen in the blood and reduces carbon dioxide buildup. This delays the body’s natural urge to breathe. Achieving such a record requires excellent breathing control, deep relaxation, and strong mental focus. Maričić also hopes his achievement will draw more attention to ocean protection.

1. 2. What does the underlined word “contractions” probably mean?（词义猜测）

A    Muscle movements.

B    Breath control.

C    Physical discomfort.

D    Nervous responses.