Nick Pelios
Freediver, Creator
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Nick Pelios
Freediver, Creator
In E7 of the Alchemy Podcast, we had the honor of hosting Stefan Randig, a world-renowned German freediver who has lived in various parts of the world. Stefan is an accomplished athlete with multiple German records and an instructor trainer. During our conversation with him in Dahab, we explored the challenges of balancing family life with the rigorous demands of being a competitive diver and an elite athlete. This is how his parents reacted when he told them about his decision to be a full-time freediver.
"After completing my formal education, I pursued training as a wood sculptor. Initially, my plan was to work in the field of renovation, but I decided to take a break and traveled to Dahab. However, once I arrived here, I became engrossed in the activity of diving and have never looked back since. That's how my journey as a freediver began, and the rest is history. Initially, it wasn't a smooth ride when I started diving. I recall the time when I arrived in Dahab back in 2005-2006 and began diving. At first, my family supported me and thought it was just a passing phase, but as time passed, they expected me to snap out of it. I continued diving for one, two, and three years, and eventually, my family began putting some pressure on me to "get my act together."
"The first time my family began to accept that I was serious about diving was when I landed a scuba diving contract in the Philippines. Later, I got another contract in the Maldives, working at a luxurious resort, which made them think that it wasn't a bad career after all. However, transitioning to freediving wasn't any easier, and I believe many freediving athletes face similar struggles. It's fascinating to learn about how other freedivers handle their parents' reservations about the sport".
"I have had several conversations with my father, who expressed his concerns about the risks of diving deep. He is concerned about the dangers of freediving and questions why to take the risk, especially as a father with a family. Often, people only see the top performances and don't understand the years of practice and preparation behind them. Progression happens gradually, meter by meter, and when it comes to record-breaking dives, it's just another dive for the athlete. It's challenging to explain this to someone without much insight into the sport. Despite the initial challenges, my family has come to accept my passion for freediving, trusting that I am a safe diver and won't do anything reckless".