Dean Sevilleno
Freediver - NR Holder
Dean Sevilleno is a Filipino speech-language pathologist by profession and a freediver by passion. A lifelong thalassophile, his true connection with the ocean didn’t begin until he was 21—when the sea truly became his second home. Before discovering freediving, he channeled his love for the water through surfing, chasing storms and seeking out wild, unruly waves. The ocean was his sanctuary, a place where adrenaline met peace. But where he lived, surfable waves came only a few times a year. He longed for something he could do in the ocean year-round.
In November 2020, a close friend introduced him to recreational freediving. From the very first dive, he was captivated. Week by week, his interest deepened. What started as a casual activity soon turned into a calling. By 2021, he left his full-time job to pursue the depths and reconnect with himself. He began formal training under Pacific Blue Freediving in May of that year and, in just seven months, progressed from diving 15 meters to an astonishing 70 meters.
With that breakthrough came the desire to compete. In May and June of 2022, Dean entered his first two national competitions—and walked away with three national records in the Free Immersion discipline.
Freediving hasn’t come easy. It demands time, patience, and sacrifice. But Dean continues to push forward, driven by his deep love for the sport and a set of personal goals: to advocate for freediving, to help grow a strong community of Filipino divers, to inspire the next generation to explore the underwater world, and to witness firsthand all the ocean has to offer.