Russian freediver Alexey Molchanov dives 126 meters in Cyprus, setting a new world record
Russian freediver Alexey Molchanov breaks his own record at the Cyprus World Championships by plunging 126 meters in a single breath.
During the AIDA Freediving World Championships in Limassol, Cyprus, Russian freediver Alexey Molchanov went 126 meters (413 feet) into the Mediterranean Sea on a single breath, setting a new world record.
With just a headlamp, a rope for guidance, and a pair of fins—no oxygen tanks or propulsion gear—Molochanov, 37, made the descent in one of the sport’s most technically challenging events.
The record of 125 meters, set by Molchanov himself in 2024, was broken by the dive, which lasted four minutes and 32 seconds. He removed his nose clip and gave the “okay” hand gesture, which is the universal indicator that a freediver has successfully finished an attempt, and the crowd exploded as he surfaced.
Molchanov, who is widely considered the best freediver in the world, has expanded his power in the sport, which asks competitors to push the boundaries of human physiology in harsh underwater environments. In addition to adding another record to his extensive collection, his accomplishment challenges preconceived notions about what is feasible in competition freediving.
