Freediver Natalia Molchanov: biography and tragic death

Of course, replace the world stars will come new. Those who will be worthy competitors and even surpass their predecessors. But again in this world is not given to anyone. When the life of an outstanding personality breaks off suddenly and mysteriously, it is, of course, entail a lot of questions. Those that will remain unanswered. One of the legendary figures in the history of freediving, ie diving without fins with breath, was Natalia Molchanov. Biography of a woman who has managed to become a 22-fold champion of the world scale and to put 41 of the same record, like a fantastic story. All the life of the great athletes, achievements and mysterious death in a single article. Why missing person Natalia Molchanov found dead and was not?

Biography Queen freediving

In the recent 1962 in the city of Ufa on the eve of the Victory Day, the girl was born in an ordinary family, which already at that time was one year-old daughter named Rina. Newborn named Natalia, and no one could guess that from the girls grow champion. And it will make all the jewels in a rather mature age - 40 years. In early childhood, Natalia Molchanov take an active interest in sports. True, the first figure skating (10 years), and then her passion was swimming, which she devoted her entire life.

Swimming - the main childhood hobby

However, in the pool she came much earlier than this age, and promise to have been a bummer. Family vacation in full on the river in his hometown, sister Natalia Rina nearly drowned. The girls then were: the eldest - 6 years old and younger - 3 years. After this incident, both given to learn to swim. Natalia easily given training. She swam freely pool length of 25 meters on one breath. Among boys children diving section has been a leader in finding underwater. Another passion of the future champion of the mountains were. Unconquered peaks beckoned her. It was a story not about the enslavement of the highest peaks, but rather about the fact that it was possible to feel the lack of the amount of air in the lungs, dizziness weak pressure from the elements.

Family and training

After school, Natalie arrived in Volgograd academy of physical culture and sports. Parents did not oppose the departure of her daughter in another city. Entered the Academy, she became a member of the set of sports, where she received a rank of master of sports, and met her future husband. Engineer Oleg, who was not a professional athlete, but simply engaged in health swim, I managed to win the girl's heart. They got married and gave birth to light two children: a daughter, Oksana and his son Alexis. Selecting a family life, Natalia Molchanov moved away from the big sport, devoting himself to coaching. Their children Natalia tried to attach to swimming. Daughter did not like the sport, and to deal with it, she did not want to, but the son of Alexis, on the contrary, came to taste. He, like his mother, devoted his life to swimming and diving. By the way, he succeeded in this and also puts records and winning medals in competitions and world championships.

The family did not lasted long, and after a little more than ten years of marriage, the couple divorced. It was a difficult time for Natalia, who was left alone with two children. Seriously worrying gap, she took on extra work to not only provide children with everything you need, but also a little escape from the oppressive depressive thoughts.

Natalia Molchanov and his son Alexei captured in the photo below.

The first steps in freediving

After three arduous years after breaking up with her husband a future champion stumbled upon a magazine in which the author describes the exciting world of freediving in the first person. The thrill of dive transferred as accurately and truthfully, that Natalia wanted to experience them for yourself. The author of the text was the founder of freediving in Russia Yulia Petrik. Her Molchanov found a phone number without difficulty and went to the Red Sea coast in May 2002 in Dehab (Egypt) to pass a basic course diver who spends itself Julia. The results are not long in coming. Molchanov rapidly struggled to a leading position in the end of the course to 10 days in length dived to 40 meters deep breath-hold. For the beginner, such progress is unthinkable.

A unique feature of athletes

The thing is that it was born precisely in order to be a freediver. And not just any diver for fun and unrivaled champion in this extreme sport. The volume of her lungs was 8 liters, taking into account that in women it is 3, 5 liters, while the average male - 4, 5. Athletes can achieve increase in mild to 6-7 liters. True data is not very accurate, because the spirometer, which are all measured, has a scale with the highest mark in 8 liters. I champion it rolls over to the maximum. After a year of training in dive Natalia Molchanov established his first record. It happened at the Open Cup of Moscow freediving in 2003, and since then, every competition and the championship brought her world records and gold medals. Freediver Natalia Molchanov proudly wore the title of queen, transcend it was too much for anyone.

Contribution to the development of sport and cinema

Natalia is not only freediving - sports, without which we can not imagine themselves, but also in scientific activity, which is closely related to its main hobby. Here she also excelled, becoming the candidate of pedagogical sciences, writing a thesis and defended it in 2010. There have been many articles on the subject of freediving, and was preparing to pass doctoral work. Through her research, observations and invaluable personal experience, there was a training program that creates Natalia Molchanov. "Fundamentals of diving apnea" - its name. In 2005, Molchanov headed it based Federation of freediving. Until that time, such an organization did not exist in Russia. From 2006 to 2009 she took part in several television projects aimed at training the deep-sea diving and detailed story of this sports discipline. The result of the project was the documentary "The Edge of freediving", "Fundamentals of freediving" and "diving technique in freediving."

A little about immersion

This type of diving originated in ancient times and has its roots far back in history. Evidence of this is found by archaeologists items decorated with pearls that were once in the depths of the sea in the shells of oysters. Even then, 4500 years ago, divers were able to raise from the seabed natural wealth. Free translated to English means "freedom", and dive - "dive". Nowadays, freediving - a sport, there are 8 disciplines and having two records for fixing the association:

CMAS - World Confederation of Underwater Activities. It was founded in 1958 in Monaco. After 12 years CMAS recognized freediving activities dangerous to human health and refused to oversee deep-sea diving.
AIDA - an organization created in Nice in 1992. Goal: assistance in conducting the competition, recording records, learning the art of freediving by the rules and standards with the further certification of students.

AIDA is today considered the main sports association, which has taken care of all the issues relating to freediving, which has become very popular and attracts to its ranks a great number of those wishing to join the sport.

The Dangers of free diving

Unfortunately, an athlete who is passionate about this sport, exposes your body when submerged to a greater depth space loads. But, apparently, the risk is one of the main reasons why it is preferred deepwater diving. Experienced freedivers say dropping to limit the depth, experience a sense of euphoria comparable to drugs. The depth below the 50-meter mark makes the athlete feel like in weightlessness, because slowing heartbeat. All the blood is concentrated in the chest area, thereby preventing an excessive compressing. Loss of consciousness - one of the hazards in freediving. Due to lack of oxygen the athlete simply shuts down, if not the next will be the assistant, can choke and drown. Therefore, the competition is always going freedivers dive with the fear of a man who, if necessary, will provide timely assistance.

Terms of the competition

Competitions and championships are held in the proven and tested in advance places. This is done for security purposes. The main requirements are:

Absence of underwater currents. Preference is always given to water bodies, where such things or not, or they are insignificant.
athlete dive fastened to the rope and with the fear of man.

Queen Achievements freediving

It is worth noting that professionally Natalia Molchanov freediving start in 39 years, and a year later became a champion. So long she did not even think about world records and glory, and a heavy divorce still brought her to the podium and admiration. Truth be told: there would be a blessing in disguise.

The most important records of Natalia Molchanova:

In Belgrade, which hosted the World Cup, Natalia managed to set a world record that still has not been surpassed: holding your breath under water in a state of static was 9 minutes and 2 seconds. Preserved documentary evidence of this fact. Natalia Molchanov, photos which you can see below, was a true professional in his field.

Another achievement has been the unsurpassed dive with monofin. In Greece Molchanov lowered to a depth of 101 meters.
swim in one breath arch Blue Hole, located in Egypt near Dahab. This legendary place, which has a bad reputation among divers around the world. It is called "graveyard" and it represents a cave, leaving the water to a depth of 100 meters. At around 56 meters there strait length 25 meters. Natalia Molchanov - the only woman in the world, who conquered this legendary place, she was able to dive Strait in the same breath, and overcame him, and his son Alexei.

To list all the services and achievements of great athletes does not make sense, because each dive it was successful and became a new record. More recently, Natalia Molchanov, dipping and runaway success standing together on the podium in all competitions for freediving.

Something went wrong

The first unpleasant experience, which experienced a freediver Natalia Molchanov, could break the life of the great athletes in 2006. While diving in the same Dahab she dared to dive in which the freediver descends to a depth on a special platform. At the maximum depth the diver has to blow air remaining in the lungs, raising it to the surface itself. The equipment was defective, and Natalia has lost a lot of time before I realized that the air blowing hose is not connected. It rises to the surface on their own and lost consciousness while in the water. After the event Natalia Molchanov rested from training, because for a long time felt the effects of a failed ascent: nausea, vomiting, headache. But returning to the sport after 12 weeks, once again set a new record.

Natalia Molchanov: death in the depths of the sea

August 2, 2015 at the coast of the Spanish island of Ibiza held a private workout, which was invited Natalia. A small group of inexperienced novice freedivers headed by Molchanova sailed by boat to dive. Last dive world record holder was at a depth of 40 meters. After his athlete Natalia Molchanov found or was not (the search continued for 5 days). What could be the reason for this turn of events and why the experienced athlete was unable to cope with a light for her depth? The only objective answer to this question - the fate.