Pregnant Florida Woman Spears Potential World Record Fish

Black Drum

Photo: Getty Images

A pregnant Florida woman has something else to look forward to besides a baby boy soon -- finding out if she broke a world record or not.

Julie Augustine, a 40-year-old Destin resident, is making headlines for polespearing a 37.6-pound black drum earlier this month. She was eight months pregnant when she snagged the huge fish during a free dive. The current world record for a black drum caught by a woman via sling or polespear is 36.3 pounds, according to the International Underwater Spearfishing Association (IUSA).

"I've been approached by several individuals who recognize me," Augustine told Fox News, "They will come up and share how inspiring my story has been to them and how it's motivated them to get off the couch and do something that they wouldn't have normally done after reading what I was able to do while pregnant. It’s one of the most beautiful, special things to come out of this."

She submitted her application and is waiting to hear back from IUSA's board.

"I'm not sure how long that process takes," she told reporters. "It's in their hands now."

Augustine, a physician assistant and Air Force veteran, said she picked up polespearing to stay active during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the sport has become a form of self-care during her pregnancy.

"When you actually spear the fish, of course, there's that adrenaline spike there. But, as far as freediving goes, you have to be in an almost meditative state where you're slowing down your breathing, and you're slowing down your heart rate," Augustine explained. "One of the best things that you can do in pregnancy is to de-stress and remain calm."

The polespear enthusiast is currently taking a break since she's due on November 15, according to WKMG. Augustine also said she wanted to avoid bumping into any sharks. As for the future son's name...

“I’m going to name him Finn,” she told reporters.

You can read more about Augustine's incredible story on Fox News' website.


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