Its been years after the announcement of the death of the “Queen of Freedivers,” Natalia Molchanova. However, this field can’t get enough of her and dives back into her memory lane time and again.
Throughout her career, Natalie stood highly on her beliefs, and by the end, she had collected a net worth of almost $2 million.
Indeed, she garnered fame and money from the very field she was in love with. However, this wasn’t the story from the beginning. Natalie faced her own share of downs to reach the ups later.
In fact, after her marriage was dissolved and she had kids to look after, she even faced a time when it was hard for her to make ends meet.
But, later, with her ongoing training and extra jobs in hand, she kept pushing herself on it.
Anyways, let’s dive into her earnings, journey, and detail of her net worth but first with a quick dose of facts.
Quick Facts
Full Name | Natalia Vadimovna Molchanova |
Date of Birth | 8 May 1962 |
Birth Place | Ufa, Bashkortostan, Soviet Union |
Nick Name | The Machine |
Religion | Unknown |
Nationality | Russian |
Ethnicity | Unknown |
Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
Date of Death | 2 August 2015 (aged 53) |
Death Place | Formentera, Spain |
Cause of Death | Unknown |
Hair Color | Blonde |
Eye Color | Hazel |
Build | Athletic |
Father’s Name | Vadim Cherepanov |
Mother’s Name | Valentina Cherepanova |
Siblings | Sister, Reena Cherepanova |
Education | Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth, and Tourism (Volgograd State Academy of Physical Culture) |
Marital Status | Divorced |
Spouse | Oleg (Divorced 1998) |
Kids | Daughter; Oksana and a son; Alexei |
Profession | Freediver |
Club | Krokodil, Moscow |
Career Record | 41 world records and 23 gold medals |
Diving Record | 127 meters (417 feet) |
Breath-holding Record | Nine minutes |
Net Worth | Around $2 million |
Social Media | Instagram (her daughter’s handle), Instagram (her son’s handle) |
Last Update | December, 2024 |
Natalia Molchanova Net Worth | Career Earnings
It wasn’t late in her life that Natalia started earning a sufficient amount and commenced sustaining herself and her kids.
However, in the career she had started ever since her early life and teenage age, Natalia kept to a halt after her marriage.
Indeed, the decision shook many around her. However, firm in her decision, Natalia stopped freediving and watercourse and had her own family. After her divorce, she was then back in the field.
Of course, after years of nothingness, she didn’t have it easy after returning to the field.
She was carrying the weight of sustaining her children and herself with the salary of a swimming coach. Indeed, she struggled to make ends meet.
Hence, she jumped to a second job, and with two tiring jobs on her hand, she suffered from depression. Stress and lack of sleep made it much harder for her. So it was until one day when she learned about freediving in a magazine.
Following it, her life slowly took a turn as she started as a freediver and won numerous titles under her name. According to her previous interviews, it was also the happiest point in her life.
Initially, Natalie earned and collected around $50k, and by the time of her death, she had garnered around $2 million.
Read the article on Usain Bolt’s net worth in detail alongside his lifestyle!
Net Worth of Natalia Molchanova in Different Currencies
Natalia got full-time engaged with freediving and collected number of medals and records. With it, she was earning sufficient.
Let’s learn her net worth in different currencies that are used around the world.
Currency | Net Worth |
Euro | €1.7 Million |
Pound Sterling | £1.4 Million |
Australian Dollar | A$2.7 Million |
Canadian Dollar | C$2.5 Million |
Indian Rupee | ₹148,761,600 |
BitCoin | ฿45 |
Click to learn about swimmer Pieter Timmers, his career, and his earnings!
The Molchanovs
With the help of her son, Alexey Molchanov, Natalia founded the freediving education system for the Russian Freediving Federation. This organization assists in uplifting freediving in society and cultivates the knowledge and skill of free diving among people.
Additionally, it guides and assists students from the beginner level all the way to the elite freediver level.
After Natalia’s death, Alexey took it over and gathered materials for a new freediving education system based on his mother’s system.
Back in 2018, he also officially launched the Molchanovs movement alongside Chris Kim and Adam Stern. It provided a base training workout, challenges, and discounts on the Molchanovs equipment.
At present, this organization is spread over Singapore, Moscow, and, Russia.
Movie, One Breath (2020 Film)
Directed by Elena Hazanova, One Breath is a 2020 Russian film based on Natalia Molchanoa’s life. Marina Gordeeva portrays her role as an unhappy heroine from her marriage who later discovers a deadly hobby.
Apparently, this movie depicts a pool of adrenaline, thoughts, and new perspectives.
Additionally, it portrays Natalia’s life in detail. Initially, its theatrical version was released on March 5, 2020, by ProfiCinema in Russia.
Furthermore, if you are interested in some of her videos, you should check out the YouTube video to tribute to her life. Click the link to follow!
Other Honors
To honor Natalia Molchanova and her devotion, AIDA International commenced the Natalia Molchanova Memorial Award.
Furthermore, with the international governing body of freediving, AIDA International awarded monetary prizes to all medalists during the freediving World Championships.
The prize level ranged from €1,500/~US$1,867. In addition, they awarded €1,000/~$1,245 for gold, €750/~$934 for silver, and €500/~$622 for bronze.
In the meantime, they also invested around €90,000/~$112,026 in freediving.
Natalia Molchanova Net Worth | Life
As a mother, Natalia Molchanova’s life did revolve around her children. At present, both of her kids are accomplished adults in their life.
Natalia’s daughter, Oskana, also pursues freediving and is an athletic trainer. You can go through her Instagram, as Nataliia Zharkova (@zharkova_freediver) with 11.2k followers.
Likewise, Natalia’s son, Alexey, is also a professional freediver. Currently, he is also a freediving world champion and the CEO of @molchanovsfreediving.
Apart from it, he is a married man and is expecting to be a dad soon.
Follow in detail about Jazmin Carlin’s bio, career, earnings, and much more!
Death
the year 2015 was a normal year and the month of August was also normal. When Natalia was teaching a Freediving course for the Russian Tycoon Pavel Tyo of the Capital Group in Ibiza.
She was with the group diving in a 50-meter superyacht named “The Pumpkin” near Roca Llisa. According to the sources, the diving was known for strong currents and boat traffic.
Later, Natalia was missing, and everyone desperately searched for her. After her mysterious disappearance, officials took whole two days and couldn’t get hold of her or her single trace.
Following it, she was then announced as dead.
During the search, there were marine police, maritime rescue, a Helimar 213 helicopter joined by private boats, and a special search and rescue company with underwater robots.
Awards and Achievements
Natalia Molchanova’s breath-holding record of nine minutes throughout her career, while her deepest diving record is 127 meters (417 feet).
Not to mention, she is 22 times World Champion with 41 world records.
- Champion of Russia (2004, 2005, & 2006)
- World record in the discipline “Constant weight” (101 meters)
- World records in the discipline “Variable weight” (127 meters)
- Champion world records
- World records in the disciplines “Static apnea” and “Dynamics without fins” (182 meters)
- World records in the disciplines “Constant weight without fins” and “Dynamics in fins” (237 meters)
Quotes
- “Freediving is not only a sport; it’s a way to understand who we are. When we go down, if we don’t think, we understand we are whole. We are one with the world.”
- “Freediving is an awareness of life. It gives you the chance to return to true life and remember its true values and profound desires. Isn’t it worth doing?”
- “Freediving should be associated with an internal calm but never with struggle. ‘In good time’ is a key principle in freediving.”
- “We freedive for the pleasure of solitude, where inner peace and awareness calm our racing mind. Freediving offers us happiness from nothing more than a single breath of air.”