Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Freediving Legend’s Son Breaks Under-Ice World Record

Alexei Molchanov swam for 180 meters beneath the ice in a Moscow region quarry. Yevgenia Kirpichenkova

Russian freediver Alexei Molchanov has broken the world record for the longest freedive under ice, holding his breath and swimming for 180 meters in a Moscow region quarry, according to a press release Tuesday.

Molchanov beat the previous record held by French freediver Arthur Guérin-Boëri, who swam for 175 meters in 2017. Organizers underscored the difficulty of ice swimming due to the body’s natural instinct to breathe in cold water and the inability to resurface before reaching the next ice hole.


					Andrei Molchanov					 					Yevgenia Kirpichenkova
Andrei Molchanov Yevgenia Kirpichenkova

“I know how few athletes remain in [under-ice freediving], so it was especially interesting for me to try my hand here,” Molchanov said.

Molchanov dedicated his feat to his mother, the freediving legend Natalia Molchanova who mysteriously vanished while diving in Spain in 2015. 

“It’s not just a job or a hobby for me, but a life’s work, a tribute to the boundless love and respect for my mother, a memory of her invaluable contribution to our common cause,” Molchanov said.


					Andrei Molchanov					 					Yevgenia Kirpichenkova
Andrei Molchanov Yevgenia Kirpichenkova

His record-setting freedive was registered by an arbiter from an international freediving federation, according to the state-run TASS news agency. It will take an unspecified amount of time to process the record, it reported.

Molchanov completed the record-setting freedive on the eve of a feature film based on Molchanova’s life. The film, on which Molchanov has a consulting credit, premieres on March 5.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more