 Molchanova at the 2009 Freediving World Championships | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Наталья Молчанова |
| Born | (1962-05-08)8 May 1962 |
| Children | 2 (includingAlexey Molchanov) |
| Disappeared | 2 August 2015(2015-08-02) (aged 53) Formentera, Spain |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Freediving |
| Club | Krokodil, Moscow |
Natalia Vadimovna Molchanova (Russian:Наталья Вадимовна Молчанова; 8 May 1962 – 2 August 2015) was a Russian champion freediver, multiple world record holder, and the former president of the Russian Free Dive Federation. Described as "possibly the world’s greatest freediver," Molchanova set an unparalleled standard in the sport.[1] She believed, “Freediving is not only a sport, it is a way to understand who you are,” reflecting her deep connection to the sport. Throughout her career, she achieved 42 world records and earned 22 world championship medals, 19 of which were gold.[2]
Molchanova was born in 1962 inUfa,Bashkortostan, then part of theSoviet Union.[3] Molchanova had a sonAlexey and daughter Oksana.[4]
Molchanova's son is Russian freediving championAlexey Molchanov.[citation needed]
On 2 August 2015, Molchanova vanished inFormentera while giving a private lesson.[4] Search efforts were abandoned on 5 August and she was presumed dead.[5]
Before becoming known as "possibly the world's greatest freediver", Natalia Molchanova trained as a swimmer in her youth. After the birth of her two children she semi-retired for approximately 20 years. At the age of 40, she resumed training, transitioning from swimming to freediving. Her first freediving competition was the 2003 Russian championships in Moscow, where she set a national record.[3]
Even after her disappearance in 2015, Molchanova remains one of the world's most decorated freedivers, having set 42 world records—21 pool records and 21 open water—during her career. She also earned 22 world championship medals, including 19 golds. Her final STA world record of 9 minutes and 2 seconds is still not broken after 11 years (standpoint: 2024).[2] At the2007 Freediving World Championships inMaribor,Slovenia, her winning time in the static discipline was better than the winning male gold medal.[6] In September 2009, she became the first woman to pass 100 meters (328 ft.) diving with constant weight, in a dive to 101 meters (331 ft.) inSharm el Sheikh,Egypt.[7] Molchanova was also the first woman to dive on one breath through theBlue Hole arch inDahab, Egypt.[8] Her record was a dive of 127 metres (417 ft.).[9]
Molchanova later also worked as a freediving instructor at theRussian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism.[3]
On 2 August 2015, Molchanova was reported missing after giving a private lesson dive nearFormentera,Spain.[4] She went down to a depth of 40 metres (131 ft.), not as deep as normal; but, caught by a current, without weights, she is thought to have been taken down. She never came up for air. Initial rescue and recovery efforts were unsuccessful.[4] Search and rescue efforts continued for a few days, but she was eventually presumed dead by the search party, including her son,Alexey Molchanov.[4][10][11]
The SpanishCivil Code provides that a missing person byshipwreck or amid a dangerous activityshall be declared deceased in absentia three months after a missing report.[12]
| Apnea | Association | Record | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNF | AIDA | 70 m | 15 May 2014 | Dahab (Egypt) |
| FIM | 91 m | 21 Sep 2013 | Kalamata (Greece) | |
| CNF | 69 m | 16 Sep 2013 | Kalamata (Greece) | |
| STA | AIDA | 9:02" | 28 Jun 2013 | Belgrade (Serbia) |
| DYN | 234 m | 28 Jun 2013 | Belgrade (Serbia) | |
| DNF | 182 m | 27 Jun 2013 | Belgrade (Serbia) | |
| CNF | 68 m | 25 April 2013 | Dahab (Egypt) | |
| VWT | 127 m | 6 Jun 2012 | Sharm (Egypt) | |
| CNF | 66 m | 8 May 2012 | Dahab (Egypt) | |
| FIM | 88 m | 24 Sep 2011 | Kalamata (Greece) | |
| CWT | 101 m | 22 Sep 2011 | Kalamata (Greece) | |
| CWT | 100 m | 16 April 2011 | Blue Hole (Bahamas) | |
| VWT | 125 m | 16 June 2010 | Kalamata (Greece)[13] | |
| DYN | 225 m | 25 April 2010 | Moscow (Russia)[13] | |
| CNF | 62 m | 3 Dec 2009 | Blue Hole (Bahamas)[13] | |
| FIM | 90 m* | 27 Sep 2009 | Sharm (Egypt)[13] | |
| CWT | 101 m* | 25 Sep 2009 | Sharm (Egypt)[13] | |
| STA | 8:23" | 21 August 2009 | Aarhus (Denmark)[13] | |
| DNF | 160 m | 20 August 2009 | Aarhus (Denmark)[13] | |
| DYN | 214 m | 5 October 2008 | Lignano (Italy)[13] | |
| FIM | 85 m | 27 July 2008 | Crete (Greece)[13] | |
| CWT | 95 m | 25 July 2008 | Crete (Greece)[13] | |
| CNF | 60 m | 12 June 2008 | Dahab (Egypt)[13] | |
| FIM | 82 m | 10 June 2008 | Dahab (Egypt)[13] | |
| DNF | 149 m | 7 July 2007 | Maribor (Slovenia)[13] | |
| STA | 8:00" | 6 July 2007 | Maribor (Slovenia)[13] | |
| DYN | 205 m | 5 July 2007 | Maribor (Slovenia)[13] | |
| FIM | 80 m | 3 June 2006 | Dahab (Egypt)[13] | |
| DYN | 200 m | 23 April 2006 | Moscow (Russia)[13] | |
| STA | 7:30" | 22 April 2006 | Moscow (Russia)[13] | |
| DNF | 131 m | 20 December 2005 | Tokyo (Japan)[13] | |
| CNF | 55 m | 7 November 2005 | Dahab (Egypt)[13] | |
| FIM | 78 m | 5 November 2005 | Dahab (Egypt)[13] | |
| CWT | 86 m | 3 September 2005 | Villefranche (France)[13] | |
| DNF | 124 m | 25 August 2005 | Renens (Switzerland)[13] | |
| STA | 7:16" | 25 August 2005 | Renens (Switzerland)[13] | |
| DYN | 178 m | 25 August 2005 | Renens (Switzerland)[13] | |
| DYN | 172 m | 24 April 2005 | Moscow (Russia)[13] | |
| DNF | 108 m | 23 April 2005 | Moscow (Russia)[13] | |
| DYN | 155 m | 25 April 2004 | Moscow (Russia)[13][14] | |
| DYN | 150 m | 26 May 2003 | Limassol (Cyprus)[13] |
Summary:
Clarification:
| Discipline | Result | Accreditation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | STA | 9:02 min | AIDA |
| Distance | DNF | 182 m | AIDA |
| DYN | 234 m | AIDA | |
| Depth | CNF | 70 m | AIDA |
| CWT | 101 m | AIDA | |
| FIM | 91 m | AIDA | |
| VWT | 127 m | AIDA | |
| NLT | |||
