Natalia Vadimovna Molchanova (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. 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.

Personal life

Molchanova was born in 1962 in Ufa, Bashkortostan, then part of the Soviet Union. Molchanova had a son Alexey and daughter Oksana. Molchanova's son is Russian freediving champion Alexey Molchanov. On 2 August 2015, Molchanova vanished in Formentera while giving a private lesson. Search efforts were abandoned on 5 August and she was presumed dead.

Career

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. 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). At the 2007 Freediving World Championships in Maribor, Slovenia, her winning time in the static discipline was better than the winning male gold medal. 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.) in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. Molchanova was also the first woman to dive on one breath through the Blue Hole arch in Dahab, Egypt. Her record was a dive of 127 metres (417 ft.). Molchanova later also worked as a freediving instructor at the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism.

Disappearance

On 2 August 2015, Molchanova was reported missing after giving a private lesson dive near Formentera, Spain. 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. Search and rescue efforts continued for a few days, but she was eventually presumed dead by the search party, including her son, Alexey Molchanov. The Spanish Civil Code provides that a missing person by shipwreck or amid a dangerous activity shall be declared deceased in absentia three months after a missing report.

World records

Summary: Clarification:

Personal bests