Heike Schwerdtner is a trainer of nurses from Germany and also the first woman to beat Natalia Molchanova's static apnea world record. A record that has stood for eleven years.In this episode we discuss:Heike recently broke the 11 year old STA record held by Natalia Molchanova.Shout out to her coach Rami Bladlav who appeared on episode #133Heike lives in Bavaria in Germany.Heike started swimming at 3 years and began training springboard diving from 7 to 12 years old, then was a professional s...

Lotta Ericson is co-founder, owner and manager of Freedive Dahab, the longest established freediving centre in Dahab, Egypt. She has a deep history in freediving as a competitive athlete and developer of the freediving education systems.In this episode we discuss:We are in Home Sweet Home, Dahab for this one!Lotta is from Sweden and was a social worker before moving to Egypt.Lotta’s early days in Dahab, starting in 1998.Shout out to Tom Sietas, Episode #52 of the podcast.How Dahab has changed...

Samo Jeranko is an elite freediver and top-level coach to freediving athletes, based in Slovenia. In this episode we take a deep dive into the coaching and training strategies he employs for his clients and himself.In this episode we discuss:Samo was recently in Croatia for spearfishing and the sea temperature was worryingly warm.Samo Jeranko first appeared on episode #86 of The Freedive Cafe Podcast.Samo now has two long daughters of 3 and a half years old and 6 weeks old.How does having you...

Originally produced between 2019 and 2021, the Lost Episodes of The Freedive Cafe were originally released as exclusive content for Patreon subscribers, then lost to time. Recently unearthed in the Sinai desert, I can now deliver them for your listening pleasure!This episode with Johnny was originally released on Patreon in July 2020.To become a supporter of the podcast through Patreon visit:https://www.patreon.com/freedivecafeJohnny also appeared on Episode #68For all episodes of the Freediv...

Stéphane Tourreau is an elite level competitive freediver from France.In this episode we discuss:Stephane first appeared on episode #5 of the podcast.Stephane was in Tenerife at time of the interview.Stephane spent 1.5 years in Dominica.How did he dive over 100m almost every three days in one year?What did his training look like, in general, while he spend those 1.5 years in Dominica?Call back to Episode #137 with Bizo Silva about potential for harm to lungs by breathing pure 02 for recovery....

Erika Schagatay PhD is a scientist based in Sweden and Dahab who focuses on researching freediving and apnea.She first appeared on Episode #42 of the podcast.In this episode we discuss:Shout out to Nathan McClatchey for saving this interview, and Chou and Mireia in Barcelona!Erika’s ‘Divelab’ in Dahab.What is the apnea RAMP test?Genetics vs Training.Continued and upcoming research to take place.Lactate threshold, and diving mammals.Do aerobic training benefits also feed into apnea abili...

Alenka Artnik is the deepest female freediver in the world. Originating from Slovenia, she transformed her life and broke free of her old bonds to pursue this amazing sport and its deeper dimensions. Alenka first appeared on Episode #57 of the show. In this episode we discuss: She was in Dahab for training at the time of the interview. What are the biggest changes Alenka has noticed in Dahab in the 7 years since she was last here? Alenka got married! Congratulations! Alenka's feelings on...

Originally produced between 2019 and 2021, the Lost Episodes of The Freedive Cafe were originally released as exclusive content for Patreon subscribers, then lost to time. Recently unearthed in the Sinai desert, I can now deliver them for your listening pleasure! This episode with Davide was originally released on Patreon in October 2020. To become a supporter of the podcast through Patreon visit: https://www.patreon.com/freedivecafe Davide also appeared on Episodes #22 and #151 For all...

Kateryna Sadurska is a world record holding freediving athlete from Ukraine. Kate joined me at The Little Blue in Dahab to discuss her amazing 2023, how she trained for those huge dives and how her philosophy of freediving is evolving. She first appeared on Episode #139 of the podcast. In this episode we discuss: This was the first Freedive Cafe interview filmed at The Little Blue | Freediver's Oasis in Dahab. Kate first appeared on Episode #139 of The Freedive Cafe. A breakdown of Kate's...

Frank Pernett is originally from Colombia. He has been freediving his whole life and been involved in the deep freediving and freediving competition scenes for many years. He is currently based in Sweden where he is working towards his PhD under the watchful eye of freediving scientist Erika Schagatay Frank is a wealth of knowledge about freediving science and physiology and today we discuss some of the traditional topics of freediving science that interest us most as well as some new...

Davide Carrera was born in Turin in Italy and began freediving as a child during his summers spent in Leguria. He has was part of the World Championship winning teams of 1996 and 2001 and established a FIM world record shortly after when he dove to 91m.  He moved away from the competitive sphere in the end and went on to study yoga extensively, and he integrates that into his freediving, and it was his tale of solitary wandering across the mediterranean in his 28 foot trimaran that inspired...

Alexey Molchanov is a multi-world record holding and world record breaking freediving athlete and arguably the greatest and most consistent freediving athlete of all time. In this episode we discuss: This is the 150th episode of The Freedive Cafe! Alexey was in Cyprus at the time of recording, preparing for the AIDA World Championships. Alexey's thoughts on the doping accusations against Vitomir Maricic and Petar Klovar and doping in freediving. Is it time for new freediving...

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Bevin Reynolds is a competitive pool freediver with multiple national and African continental records.  Despite only coming into the sport 18 months before her first AIDA Indoor World Championships this year, she took home 3 medals and the title of Vice-World Champion. In this episode we discuss: Bevin is from the suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa She had an early affinity and feel for the water. Started in swimming school at a very young age. Getting into...

Shadi Türk is a Syrian former fixer and journalist who worked through 10 years of the terrible war in his home country. After reaching his breaking point in this capacity he embarked on a journey of discovery which led him to Kaş, Türkiye, and the new adventure of deep freediving. In this episode we discuss: Shadi was born and raised in Syria and moved to Türkiye when he was 18, where he studied architecture. How Shadi became a fixer and a journalist. The psychological impact of seeing so...

Khaled ELGammal is Egypt's deepest diver and the first to reach the 100m mark. Today we hear about how Khaled left a corporate life working in oil and gas to dedicate himself to training for and teaching freediving. In this episode we discuss: Khaled was fresh back from Kuwait where he was acting as safety diver for the CMAS Indoor World Championships. Shout out to co-host Jordy Duncan who is competing for Australia at the AIDA World Championships in Jeju, South Korea. Khaled is originally...

Gary McGrath is the deepest ever self-propelled freediver from the UK, claiming a national record of 112m in CWT at 2022's Vertical Blue competition. In this episode we catch up with Gary since last years amazing Vertical Blue performance and examine the dark places in our mental environments, open up about depression, anxiety and seeking help, and sincerely hope you benefit from this discussion ❤️ Also watch on YouTube at Freedive and Thrive. In this episode we discuss: Second time...

Miguel Lozano is one of the deepest freedivers in the world. He first appeared on episode #67 of The Freedive Cafe podcast! This interview is also available in video format on the Freedive and Thrive  Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/XW-Y_zBHixw In this episode we discuss: Miguel and I last spoke in January 2020, recorded an interview and forgot to release it! About Miguel's Deep Camp in Dahab. The structure of the Deep Camp. What Miguel's been up to these past 3 years. Miguel's thoughts...

Stefan Randig is a German competitive freediver based in Dahab, Egypt. He first appeared on episode #10 of The Freedive Cafe: https://freedivecafe.com/2017/10/01/10-stefan-randig-freedive-panglao/ In this episode we discuss: The last time Stefan and I talked was in 2017, on episode #10 of The Freedive Cafe! (link above) What happened to Freedive Panglao? Stefan started his freediving journey in Dahab. Shout out to our colleagues in The Philippines. Dahab during COVID times. What's it like...

Jordy Duncan is not only my awesome co-host on the Freediving Journal News Dispatch, but an up and coming elite freediver in her own right.  Jordy has only been diving for around 2 years but has managed to achieve distances in the pool of more than 200m, which for me is an absolutely mind-blowing achievement!   Perhaps more interesting than Jordy's rapid rise as a freediving athlete is to see that in the context of where she's coming from.... Jordy has struggled with an eating disorder for...

Pete Botman is a Canadian/Dutch freediving athlete and instructor based in Dahab, Egypt. He is a 100m+ diver,  multiple World Record holder in the CMAS Master's category and didn't start freediving until he was later in his forties. In this episode we discuss: Pete was born and raised in Canada but grew up speaking Dutch. He joined the swim team and competed at quite a high level until aged 16. Teaching, coaching, lifeguarding, and cross-country skiing. How difficult is cross country...

Tito Zappalà is an Italian freediver and coach. He worked under the eye of Andrea Zuccari at Freediving World in Sharm el-Sheikh for five years before moving up to Dahab when he currently lives and coaches. In this episode we discuss: Tito and Kat's plans for the winter. Only 3 people in 7 years who pissed him off! Tito is from the galaxy and the stars, and ... specifically from Sicily, Italy. Early start in freediving, spearfishing with his father. Selling the family gold for a...

Ali Okab is the boss and face of the world-famous Aqua Marina, located right at the Blue Hole north of Dahab, Egypt. His restaurant is the starting point for all freediving adventures in the Blue Hole and the de facto family house for freedivers from all over the world. In this episode we discuss: Ali's full name is Ali Rekab Ali Ali Okab. Aqua Marina is a home for all the freedivers of the world. The challenges of running a restaurant at the Blue Hole. Ali's realisation about freediving...

Kateryna Sadurska is a multiple record holder and Ukrainian champion.  Kat has a background as a synchronised swimmer and even made it to the Olympics in Rio to represent Ukraine in that sport, and later turned her attention to our wonderful sport of freediving where she has rapidly been rising to the elite levels, especially in her pool performances.   In this episode we discuss: Katerina is from Mykolaiv, Ukraine. She has a background in synchronised swimming and did that for 17...

Denis Grosmaire was raised in the pacific island nation of French Polynesia, travelling for island to island as a kid with his mom, growing up in the ocean from a very young age.   However, he didn't dive deeper than 30m or take a freediving course until he was 39 years old. After that he very quickly rose up through the competition ranks and now dives well over 100m.   Denis also has a fascinating relationship with sharks. He spends hours and hours in the waters of French Polynesia with...