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Alexey Molchanov

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

Alexey Olegovich Molchanov (born 6 March 1987, in Volgograd, Russia) is a multiple world champion in freediving (under the rules of AIDA, CMAS, and the Freediving Federation), the current world record holder in various freediving disciplines, president of the Freediving Federation, head of the Natalia 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.

Career

[edit]

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 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, diving to 125 meters with a monofin. Later that year, he broke his own record by diving to 126 meters in Dean'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.

Personal life

[edit]

From 2016 to 2024, he was married to Elena Molchanova (née Sokolova), a Russian swimmer, Universiade champion (2013), and participant in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2012 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]

Personal bests

[edit]
  • 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) — 124 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

Filmography

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

Records and medals

[edit]
Apnea [1] Date Place Event Record Stands as
DYN 19.04.2004 Moscow freediving Russian Championship 158 m Russian record
FIM 23.11.2004 Egypt Open Swedish freediving competitions 66 m Russian record
VWT 30.11.2004 Egypt Registration of records in Blue Hole 76 m Russian record
DNF 23.04.2005 Moscow freediving Russian Championship 107 m Russian record
DYN 24.04.2005 Moscow freediving Russian Championship 171 m Russian record
DYN 25.08.2005 Lausanne, Switzerland first individual freediving World Championship 199 m Russian record, bronze medal
STA 26.08.2005 Lausanne, Switzerland first individual freediving World Championship 6 min. 31 sec. Russian record
DNF 27.08.2005 Lausanne, Switzerland first individual freediving World Championship 124 m Russian record
DNF 27.08.2005 Lausanne, Switzerland first individual freediving World Championship 131 m Russian record, silver medal
CWT 1.09.2005 France, Nice freediving World Championship 82 m Russian record
CNF 7.11.2005 Egypt, Dahab Triple Depth 52 m Russian record
DYN 23.04.2006 Moscow Russian Championship 200 m Russian record
CNF 30.05.2006 Egypt, Dahab Triple Depth 60 m Russian record
CWT 07.12.2006 Egypt, Hurgada Team World Championship 83 m Russian record
DYN 09.12.2006 Egypt, Hurgada Team World Championship 207 m Russian record
STA 9.06.2007 Moscow Russian championship 6 min. 59 sec. Russian record
DYN 5.07.2007 Slovenia, Maribor freediving World Championship 213 m Russian record, silver medal
DNF 7.07.2007 Slovenia, Maribor freediving World Championship 157 m Russian record, silver medal
CNF 3.11.2007 Egypt, Sharm-el-Sheikh 4th individual freediving World Championship 65 m Russian record, bronze medal
DYN 27.04.2008 Moscow open Moscow Cup 222 m Russian record
CWT 25.07.2008 Greece, Crete, Sugia International freediving competition: Mediterranean Cup 91 m Russian record
CWT 27.07.2008 Greece, Crete, Sugia International freediving competition: Mediterranean Cup 101 m Russian record
FIM 1.08.2008 Egypt, Dahab International freediving competition 90 m Russian record
STA 4.10.2008 Italy, Lignano-Sabbiadoro European Cup 7min. 31sec. Russian record
DYN 5.10.2008 Italy, Lignano-Sabbiadoro European Cup 250 m World Record, Historic Record
STA 20.08.2009 Danmark, Aarhus 5th Individual freediving World Championship 8 min. 02 sec. Russian record
STA 21.08.2009 Danmark, Aarhus 5th Individual freediving World Championship 8 min. 31 sec. Russian record, silver medal
CNF 25.09.2009 Egypt, Sharm-el-Sheikh International competition Ruler of the depth 80 m Russian record
CNF 27.09.2009 Egypt, Sharm-el-Sheikh International competition Ruler of the depth 83 m Russian record
CWT 1.12.2009 Bahamas, Long Island 6th individual freediving World Championship 102 m Russian record
CWT 3.12.2009 Bahamas, Long Island 6th individual freediving World Championship 111 m Russian record, silver medal
FIM 24.09.2011 Greece, Kalamata 7th individual freediving World Championship 100 m Russian record
CWT 25.11.2012 Bahamas, Long Island 126 m World record[1]
FIM 29.11.2012 Bahamas, Long Island 107 m Russian record
CNF 25.04.2013 Egypt, Dahab Russian National Open Competition, 2013 85 m Russian record
CNF 27.04.2013 Egypt, Dahab Russian National Open Competition, 2013 90 m Russian record, continental record
DNF 27.06.2013 Belgrade Individual AIDA pool World Championships, 2013 195 m Russian record
STA 29.06.2013 Belgrade Individual AIDA pool World Championships, 2013 8:33 Russian record
CWT 19.09.2013 Kalamata Kalamata Open, 2013 128 m World record, gold medal
FIM 21.09.2013 Kalamata Kalamata Open, 2013 110 m Russian record
CNF 10.11.2013 Long Island, BHS Vertical Blue, 2013 91 m Russian record
FIM 16.11.2013 Long Island, BHS Vertical Blue, 2013 112 m Russian record
FIM 02.12.2014 Long Island, BHS Suunto Vertical Blue, Deadmans Caye, 2014 114 m Russian record
DYN 26.06.2015 Belgrade Individual AIDA Pool World Championships 2015 258 m Russian record
CNF 14.09.2015 Limassol AIDA Individual World Championship 2015 85 m Gold medal
CWT 16.09.2015 Limassol AIDA Individual World Championship 2ool Championship 2015 — CMAS 8 m 15 sec Russian record, gold medal
DYN-BF 15.06.2018 Lignano Sabbiadoro 10th Free Diving Indoor World Championship – CMAS 224,7 m Russian record
CWT 18.07.2018 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2018 — AIDA 130 m World record, gold medal
FIM 24.07.2018 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2018 — AIDA 125 m World record, gold medal
CWT 04.10.2018 Kaş, Turkey 3rd FreeDiving World Championship Outdoor 2018 — CMAS 123 m World record, gold medal
FIM 06.10.2018 Kaş, Turkey 3rd FreeDiving World Championship Outdoor 2018 — CMAS 116 m World record, gold medal
CWT-BF 21.05.2019 Egypt, Dahab Russian Open Depth Championship 2019 — AIDA 108 m World record, gold medal
CWT-BF 05.08.2019 Roatán, Honduras Caribbean Cup 2019 — AIDA 110 m World record, gold medal
CNF 07.08.2019 Roatán, Honduras Outdoor World Championship 2019 — CMAS 85 m World record, gold medal
CWT 08.08.2019 Roatán, Honduras Outdoor World Championship 2019 — CMAS 125 m World record, gold medal
FIM 11.08.2019 Roatán, Honduras Outdoor World Championship 2019 — CMAS 118 m World record, gold medal
CWTB 12.09.2020 Krk, Croatia Adriatic Depth Trophy Competition 2020 111 m World record, gold medal[2]
CWTB 26.11.2020 Egypt, Sharm-el-Sheikh Aida Freediving World Competition — AIDA 113 m World record, gold medal
FIM 13.07.2021 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2021 – CMAS 126 m World record, gold medal
CNF 15.07.2021 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2021 – CMAS 87 m World record
CWT 17.07.2021 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2021 – CMAS 131 m World record, gold medal
CNF 19.07.2021 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2021 – CMAS 90 m World record, gold medal
CWTB 22.07.2021 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2021 – CMAS 118 m World record, gold medal
CWTB 23.09.2021 Limassol, Cyprus AIDA World Championship Limassol 2021 115 m World record, gold medal
FIM 24.09.2021 Limassol, Cyprus AIDA World Championship Limassol 2021 118 m Gold medal
CWT 25.09.2021 Limassol, Cyprus AIDA World Championship Limassol 2021 125 m Gold medal
CWT 05.10.2021 Kaş, Turkey 5th CMAS Outdoor Freediving World Championships 2021 128 m Gold medal
FIM 06.10.2021 Kaş, Turkey 5th CMAS Outdoor Freediving World Championships 2021 121 m Gold medal
VWT 25.03.2023 Bonaire BonAbyss2023 – AIDA 153 m World record
VWT 28.03.2023 Bonaire BonAbyss2023 – AIDA 156 m World record
CWTB 26.05.2023 Philippines AIDA Oceanquest Philippines 121 m World record
CWT 30.06.2023 Villefranche-sur-mer 10th outdoor freediving French championship CMAS 133 m World record
FIM 21.07.2023 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2023 – AIDA 133 m World record
CWT 22.07.2023 Bahamas Vertical Blue 2023 – AIDA 133 m World record
CWT 21.08.2023 Roatan, Honduras CMAS 7th Freediving Depth World Championship 136 m World record
CNF 24.08.2023 Roatan, Honduras CMAS 7th Freediving Depth World Championship 100 m World record
CWTB 25.08.2023 Roatan, Honduras CMAS 7th Freediving Depth World Championship 124 m World record
CWTB 24.09.2023 Limassol, Cyprus AIDA World Championship Limassol 2023 123 m World record
CWT 29.09.2023 Limassol, Cyprus AIDA World Championship Limassol 2023 136 m World record
CWTB 10.09.2024 Corsica 33rd AIDA Freediving World Championship 125 m World record
DNF 29.03.2025 Chengdu, China The World Games 2025 Freediving 200 m Silver Medal
DYN 30.03.2025 Chengdu, China The World Games 2025 Freediving 300 m Russian record, Gold medal
CWTB 10.09.2024 Corsica 33rd AIDA Freediving World Championship 125 m World record
DNF 29.03.2025 Chengdu, China The World Games 2025 Freediving 200 m Silver Medal
DYN 30.03.2025 Chengdu, China The World Games 2025 Freediving 300 m Russian record, Gold medal

Summary:

  • STA – 8 min. 33 sec.
  • DYN – 300 m
  • DNF – 200 m
  • CWT – 136 m
  • CWTB — 125 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 rules 2.) swimming with fins under CMAS rules.

Personal bests

[edit]
Discipline Result Accreditation
Time STA 8:33min AIDA
Distance DNF 195m AIDA
DYN 258m AIDA
Depth CNF 100m CMAS
CWT 136m CMAS, AIDA
CWT BF 124m CMAS
FIM 133m CMAS, AIDA
CWT ICE 85m FF
VWT 156m AIDA


References

[edit]
  1. ^ AIDA: World records Archived 2015-11-17 at the Wayback Machine (checked 17/02/2013)
  2. ^ "🇷🇺 New Freediving World Record Alexey Molchanov Constant Weight Bifins. Adriatic Freediving Trophy 2020 Croatia 🇭🇷". SPORTALSUB.NET. 13 September 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2021.

[1]

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alexey Molchanov.

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

  • Russian: personal page Russian Freediving Association (checked 11/19/2010)
  1. ^ Latour, Alexandre. "The Dark Side of Freediving: How Molchanovs Instructors Are Endangering Whales in Mauritius". Alexandre Latour. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
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