Jacques Mayol

 Jacques Mayol is a French national born in China. He is known as the "human dolphin" because of his underwater exploits in the field of freediving. Mayol's fascination with the sea arose from a close friendship with a female dolphin named Crown at an aquarium in Florida where he worked. In order to understand her better, he would break the aquarium's rules by climbing into the pool to join her during his lunch breaks. This is how he learned to hold his breath and conserve energy underwater. He later improved his techniques with the help of yoga.

Mayol first entered the freediving scenario in 1966. He breaks the record of -59 meters held by Tetake Williams, and sets a new mark of -60 meters in Freeport, Bahamas. After this, Mayol sets a series of records one after another, becoming one of the most active a fearless freedivers of the moment. His great contribution to freediving came when, in spite to the scientific belief, he reached the -100 meters barrier, in 1976. 

Mayol takes the sport of freediving to several countries and makes it popular. After his record in Bahamas, he breaks a record in Florida, USA, reaching a depth of -70 meters in 1967. He goes to Japan from 1969 to 1972 and there he sets new marks. In 1973, he moves to Elba Island in Italy and he establish himself there. He continues setting records, and the press keep following him to know about his accomplishments.     

In 1983, he dives to -105 meters and decides to retire from the freediving competition.

His dives were part of a long-running rivalry with Italian diver Enzo Maiorca, lasting over 10 years, which saw freedive depths double within a decade. The competition was also the inspiration for Luc Besson's film "The Big Blue", in which Mayol has writing credits, and which led to notoriety for Mayol and Maiorca. 

In addition to enriching the world of freediving with an entire philosophy, a state of mind based on relaxation and yoga, he also contributed to technological advances in the field of diving, particularly with regard to the assemblies used by "no limits" free divers to reach the depths and return to the surface.

He was also the first freediver sponsored by Cressi Sub, the diving suits manufacturer.

Mayol shared his vision for the future in his book "Homo Delphinus". For him, this term refers to individuals who are as aquatic as dolphins, share a love of the ocean and recognize the important of protecting it, keeping it pure. Though human beings will never be able to inhabit the oceans,  Mayol believes that within a couple of generations some people will be capable of swimming at depths of 200 meters and holding their breath for up to ten minutes.

Mayol was the inspiration for many people at the time. Umberto Pelizzari considers Mayol a great friend and guide. Pipin Ferreras calls him a leader in the sport. 

Currently, Mayol lives in the Island of Elba, Italy and the Caicos Island, and he still dives as often as he has a chance to, to depths of 40 to 50 meters, holding his breath for as long as 4 minutes.