INTERVIEW – The French free diver took part in our “Autopromo” interview and talked about his beginnings, passion and the fight for the cleanliness of the oceans.
Born in Nice in 1982, the free diver broke the world record for deep diving four times. In 2015, after a diving accident, he stopped competing and founded the Bluenery Academy in Villefranche-sur-Mer, where he taught the therapeutic powers of breathing and apnea. Today he gives himself to our “Autopromo” interview game.
You talking about me in a promo, homework?
Yes, but not when I talk about my work as a free diver, my passion for the deep seas, which I try to convey in the films I make or conferences. What I don’t like is putting myself on stage. That’s not my type. Maybe I would have chosen a different profession if I liked headlights. There is not much light at the bottom of the water… To discuss such a burning topic as saving the oceans, I leave it to the experts and scientists.
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My beginning.
I was 14 years old. One day, after leaving school, I participated in an apnea contest with my classmate on the bus. In one game, he lasted two minutes and eight seconds that day, and I lasted one minute and thirty seconds. This failure made me very angry, and I decided to train at night, in my bed, to try to beat my friend’s record. Little by little I reached four minutes, completely alone, without a teacher. Consulting What?I discovered that the world record was about six minutes. So I was two minutes off the world record. From that moment I thought to myself that maybe I am gifted in this field. Then I fell in love with apnea. I watched videos, read books, discovered, watching a special envoy to the world of freediving legend Umberto Pellizzari, who became my hero, then I realized that I live a stone’s throw from the Nice Apnea Club. My life was beginning to take shape.
Descending 126 meters left me feeling both ecstatic and anxious
Guillaume Neri
Why is freediving my passion?
Playing this sport combines my love of competition, self-improvement, effort and always wanting to go further and master my body. It is a work of patience, control and humility that allowed me to go into the unknown, to flirt with danger. Descending to 126 meters (my record) gave me feelings of both ecstasy and anxiety. That’s what I try to teach my daughter: the enrichment that comes from encountering the unknown world. We learn not to be afraid, to be brave, not to be afraid to face the world.
What drives me crazy?
That we can’t make regulatory rules about clean oceans and overfishing. Few sanctions are applied to boats that scrape the bottom of the seas, destroying fauna and flora. It is not for lack of ignoring what is happening. We have all the numbers on ocean pollution and species survival. We have scientists, but we don’t have political will. The laws of the market too often override reason. This angers me because the ocean has a very powerful ability to repair itself. In France, in the vicinity of Port-Croix, reserves have been created, which will allow the flora and fauna to repair themselves. And when the protocols are implemented, water quality and species vitality change very quickly.
My news?
I continue to work on apnea to get rid of certain pathologies, such as stress, anxiety, through my academy, Bluenery Academy, where I hold courses, conferences and where I test new protocols. I am trying to increase cooperation with healthcare professionals and attract new sponsors (Biotherm is one of them). During Covid I was helping patients regain their breathing abilities.
We have all the numbers on ocean pollution and species survival. The laws of the market too often override reason.
Guillaume Neri
My qualities?
Patience and passion.
My shortcomings?
My enthusiasm, which sometimes borders on naivety.
blueneryacademy.com/en
Source: Le Figaro
