Alexey Molchanov

Personal information
Nationality	Russian
Born	(1987-03-06)6 March 1987 (age 38) Volgograd, Russia
Sport
Sport	Freediving
Medal record Men'sfreediving World Games 2025 Chengdu DYN World Championships Lausanne 2005 STA Lausanne 2005 DYN Lausanne 2005 DNF AIDA World Championship (Maribor 2007) DYN AIDA World Championship (Maribor 2007) DNF 4th AIDA Individual World Championship CNF Aarhus 2009 STA Bahamas 2009 CWT Kalamata, Greece 2013 CWT Sardinia, Italy 2014 CWT Kalamata, Greece 2016 CWT Limassol, Cyprus 2015 CNF Limassol, Cyprus 2015 CWT Kaş, Turkey 2018 CWT Kaş, Turkey 2018 FIM Roatán, Honduras 2019 CNF Roatán, Honduras 2019 CWTB Roatán, Honduras 2019 CWT Roatán, Honduras 2019 FIM Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 2020 CWTB Limassol, Cyprus 2021 CWTB Limassol, Cyprus 2021 FIM Limassol, Cyprus 2021 CWT Kaş, Turkey 2021 CWT Kaş, Turkey 2021 FIM BonAbyss 2023 VWT BonAbyss 2023 VWT AIDA Oceanquest Philippines 2023 CWTB 10th Outdoor French CMAS Championship CWT Vertical Blue 2023 FIM Vertical Blue 2023 CWT Roatán, Honduras CWT Roatán, Honduras CNF Roatán, Honduras CWTB AIDA World Championship Limassol 2023 CWTB AIDA World Championship Limassol 2023 CWT 33rd AIDA World Championship, Corsica 2024 CWTB 33rd AIDA World Championship, Corsica 2024 CWT 8th CMAS Freediving World Championship, Kalamata 2024 CWT 8th CMAS Freediving World Championship, Kalamata 2024 CNF 8th CMAS Freediving World Championship, Kalamata 2024 CWTB UNU AIDA Tampa Bay Challenge 2024 DYN The World Games Series, Chengdu 2025 DYN Vertical Blue Bahamas 2017 CWT Bahamas 2018 CWT Bahamas 2018 FIM Bahamas 2021 FIM Bahamas 2021 CWT Bahamas 2021 CNF Bahamas 2021 CWTB Bahamas 2023 FIM Bahamas 2023 CWT

Alexey Olegovich Molchanov (born 6 March 1987) is a Russian free diver. He is multiple world champion in freediving, the current world record holder in various freediving disciplines, president of the Freediving Federation, head of theNatalia Molchanova Freediving School, ambassador for the Lake Baikal Foundation, and the founder and equipment designer for the Molchanovs freediving brand. He is the son of Natalia Molchanova, a multiple world champion and freediving record holder.

Alexey Molchanov set his first freediving world record in 2008, swimming 250 meters underwater in a pool with a monofin on a single breath. Since then, he has focused on depth disciplines and competing in open water.

In 2012, he set a world record inSharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, diving to 125 meters with a monofin. Later that year, he broke his own record by diving to 126 meters inDean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas. At the 2013 AIDA World Championship in Kalamata, Greece, he set a new world record of 128 meters. In 2016, he improved it to 129 meters in Baia, and in 2018, he achieved 130 meters in the Bahamas, once again surpassing his own mark. This achievement was featured in the Netflix sports documentary series *Religion of Sports*. In 2021, during the Vertical Blue competition, he extended the record to 131 meters. In August 2023, at the CMAS World Championship, Molchanov reached a depth of 136 meters, setting another absolute depth record in competitive freediving, a performance he confirmed in September under AIDA rules.

Originally a competitive swimmer, Alexey began freediving in his teens when his mother, Natalia Molchanova, was already a champion. She developed a unique instructional method that helped establish her as one of the greatest competitive freedivers in history and contributed significantly to the sport's popularity in Russia. Following in her footsteps, Alexey not only leads the Freediving Federation but also founded Molchanovs, a company that provides education and manufactures freediving gear.

From 2016 to 2024, he was married toElena Molchanova (née Sokolova), a Russian swimmer, Universiade champion (2013), and participant in the2008 Summer Olympics and2012 Summer Olympics. She holds the title of International Master of Sports of Russia.^{[citation needed]}

Children: Maksim Alexeyevich Molchanov (born 17 February 2021).^{[citation needed]}

• STA (Static Apnea) —8 minutes 33 seconds
• DYN (Dynamic Apnea with Monofin) —300 meters
• DNF (Dynamic Apnea without Fins) —200 meters
• CWT (Constant Weight with Monofin) —136 meters
• CWTB (Constant Weight with Bi-Fins) —126 meters
• CNF (Constant Weight without Fins) —100 meters
• FIM (Free Immersion) —133 meters
• CWTi (Constant Weight under Ice) —90 meters
• VWT (Variable Weight) —156 meters

• One Breath (2020)
• Religions of Sports (2018)
• Breath of the Deep (2024)
• Freediver (2024)

Summary:

• STA – 8 min. 33 sec.
• DYN – 300 m
• DNF – 200 m
• CWT – 136 m
• CWTB — 126 m
• CNF – 100 m
• FIM – 133 m
• CWT ICE – 85 m
• VWT - 156 m

Clarification:

• STA = Static Apnea. Holding the breath as long as possible.
• DYN = Dynamic Apnea with fins. Diving as far as possible with the use of fins or a monofin.
• DNF = Dynamic Apnea without fins. Diving as far as possible without fins.
• CWT = Constant weight with fins. Diving as deep as possible with the use of fins or a monofin.
• CWT ICE = Constant weight with fins under the ice in cold water. Diving as deep as possible with the use of fins or a monofin.
• CNF = Constant weight without fins. Diving as deep as possible without fins.
• FIM = Free Immersion. Diving as deep as possible by pulling down and up the rope.
• VWT = Descent is assisted by a weighted sled sliding down a line, the ascent may be either by:

1.) pulling up along the line or swimming with or without fins under AIDA rules2.) swimming with fins under CMAS rules.

^[1]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toAlexey Molchanov.

Breathtaking undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman', By Sheena McKenzie, CNN

• Russian:personal page Russian Freediving Association (checked 19 November 2010)

• 1987 births
• Living people
• Russian freedivers
• Sportspeople from Volgograd
• World Games silver medalists
• Medalists at the 2025 World Games

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