First Freedive to 100 Metres

Date: November 23, 1976 • Location: Paris, France

Jacques Mayol became the first person to freedive to a depth of 100 metres (330 ft).

Jacques Mayol was a French diver and the holder of many world records in free diving. The 1988 film The Big Blue, directed by Luc Besson, was inspired by his life story and that of his friend, Enzo Maiorca. Mayol was one of the screenwriters and authored the book Homo Delphinus: the Dolphin Within Man of his philosophy about the aquatic origins of humans.