For more than a decade, Dwane Herbert has been chasing a spot on the Spearfishing World Championships podium. Finally, in 2025, he's done it.
The Bluff local finished third in São Francisco do Sul, Brazil, with the New Zealand team coming in fifth place overall.
"It’s pretty much been a dream of mine since I was a young fella, wanted to perform on the world stage and it's a long time coming," he told 1News.
Foreign fish and dirty water were no match for Dwane Herbert who became the first NZ man to get a medal at the Spearfishing World Championships. (Source: 1News)
Two years ago, Alex Edwards won a silver medal in the women's World Championships, but this is a breakthrough for the men.
The two-day competition scored participants on the variety and size of their fish, although that was difficult for the Kiwis with most species being unfamiliar.
Another challenge was the limited visibility in the water, often a matter of metres.
"The fish were not big but very spooky in the dirty water… being able to identify that fish in the split second of seeing it and pulling the trigger took quite a bit of nous," Herbert said.
The New Zealand team travelled to Brazil more than six weeks early to make sure they were prepared.
In 2016 in Greece, Herbert tore his lung while pushing himself in deep water. He admitted to having to lick his wounds after the incident but he was determined to bounce back and prove the calibre of Kiwi divers who he said were underdogs when it came to spearfishing.
While many European teams are paid to compete, Herbert explained the Kiwis take time off work and are self-funded, something he likened to the All Blacks playing Spain.
Standing on the third place of the podium in his jandals-clad feet has only left him wanting more, but for now it’s home after six weeks away.
"Gotta get back to work.. catch up with family, have a beer and get back into it."
TVNZ’s South Seas Spearo will have more on Dwane’s achievement on TVNZ Duke and TVNZ+ on December 18.
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