Shark Freediving

If Jacques Mayol would still be alive, he would have celebrated his 80th birthday today. Frenchmen Jacques was born on April 1st 1927 and set down a bunch of world records between 1966 and 1983, starting with 60 meters and ending with 105 meters.

He became widely known through the fictional movie ‘the big blue’, directed by the famous Luc Besson. On December 22nd 2002 Jacques decided to take his own life, but he will be remembered as one of the founding fathers of freediving. Setting records was one thing, but living for freediving another and Jacques was all about that. Jacques still has a huge Asian fan base, as you notice on his memorial website.

“I’d rather lose myself in passion than lose my passion.”

Jacques Mayol 1927-2002