Yes, Alessia Zecchini is still alive and competing in freediving. As shown in Netflix’s The Deepest Breath, she hasn’t stopped competing despite the loss of her husband, Stephen Keenan.
Whatever sports athletes choose, there is no doubt that they are among the strongest individuals in the world! Extreme sports, on the other hand, are on a whole other level. Have you ever heard of freediving? Because that’s what the recently released Netflix documentary, The Deepest Breath, is about.
Freediving is an extreme sport in which individuals rely on holding their breath underwater while diving without the use of any breathing aids, such as scuba gear. Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini, Irish freediver and safety specialist Stephen Keenan, Russian freediver Natalia Molchanova, and Italian freediver Homar Leuci are featured in the Netflix documentary.
It also gives us a glimpse of a horrific event Alessia Zecchini faced in July 2017 in which she lost her husband, Stephen Keenan. Regardless, she kept competing in freediving. As a result, people wonder if she is still alive. Well, we’ve got you covered.
Alessia Zecchini Is Still Alive: Despite the Death of Her Husband, She Is Still Competing in Freediving!
Yes, Alessia Zecchini is still alive and still competing in freediving. Alessia has set over 20 world records in the sea and pool since Stephen Keenan‘s death in 2017. Despite this, Alessia has continued to compete because she feels that allowing her anxieties to take over would be a poor way to honor people who have literally given her their all. She dedicates each record to her husband. Talking to the production house, she told
[Stephen] will always be with me. I remember his eyes and try to remember all the things he’d tell me. To live, to be happy, to believe in myself. I try to remember his hugs. He’s the person who taught me what it really means to hug someone… He will always be in my heart. He’s going to be with me forever because I want him to stay with me for the rest of my life.
Alessia Zecchini is still alive.
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The professional freediver is still pursuing her enthusiasm for the sport, having recently won gold at the 2023 AIDA Oceanquest Philippines on Camotes Island. She had previously set a world record in the Bi-fins division at the 2023 Secret Blue International Depth Competition in the Philippines, diving 109 meters in 3 minutes and 38 seconds.
Alessia Zecchini is currently a freediver who is also an author and an energizing public speaker. She continues to dominate the sport of free diving with her amazing built-in abilities. This global traveler is a 38-time Freediving global Record holder, a 17-time World Championship winner, a 3-time European Championship winner, and the author of her book, Apnea (2021).
Alessia Zecchini Was Passionate About Freediving From Her Childhood!
Alessia Zecchini (@alessia.zecchini) supposedly fell in love with the depths of the sea as a little child growing up in Rome, Italy, only for her passion to become stronger as the years passed. The truth is that she hadn’t yet reached adolescents when she recognized her calling, forcing her to work twice as hard to show herself not only for personal satisfaction but also for the skeptics.
Alessia Zecchini became passionate about freediving before her teenage years.
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Alessia began practicing at local swimming pools as soon as she could before finishing her first federal apnea (temporary stoppage of breathing) course at the age of thirteen. Thus began her maiden regional contests, in which she excelled by crossing more than 50 meters while adhering to every regulation — in other words, she effortlessly completed 100+ meter roundtrips with no oxygen.
However, because of the numerous safety dangers involved, this unwaveringly motivated kid had to slow down a little in the mid-2000s when the federation barred under-18s from any official event.
Despite her inability to compete in top categories for rankings, Alessia continued to train to the best of her abilities, attending rallies with the Italian national team. This certainly changed once 2010 arrived, resulting in her first Italian championship and her first medal (silver) a year later at the age of 19 — she achieved the same result in 2012. So it was these positions that landed this youngster a berth on both the indoor and outdoor national teams, where she was routinely second-best behind a somewhat experienced Ilaria Bonin.
It took Alessia Zecchini seeing her mentor Natalia‘s interview tapes, as well as a few years of work, to learn she needed to relax her mind in order to achieve her goals. That’s when her unwavering determination paid off, as she won competitions, ranked among the best, and broke records, including her idol’s long-held 101-meter freedive record.
Anup Pandey is the Founder and CTO of Selectiveyes Group Private Limited, leveraging his expertise in SEO, WordPress, and Python to drive innovation. An entrepreneur at heart, he thrives on solving challenges and seizing opportunities. In his spare time, Anup explores his passion for cinema, sharing insights on the latest trends and developments. Follow his journey for expert commentary and captivating storytelling.