Hinatea Penilla

Hinatea Penilla is a member of the French national team in dynamic freediving and a multiple-time French champion.

Originally from Moorea, where she grew up, she now lives in Nice, while maintaining a deep connection to Polynesia, which she returns every year.

With a strong athletic background from an early age, she pursued studies in sports sciences and physical activity in the south of France, while simultaneously building a career as a hip-hop and breakdance dancer and instructor in Nice and Monaco. She now coaches over a hundred students, alongside pursuing a demanding high-level competitive career.

Specializing in dynamic freediving — a discipline that consists of covering the greatest possible distance on a single breath — Hinatea has been competing at national and international levels since 2017. She holds multiple national titles and records, and achieved a 4th place finish at the 2022 Indoor World Championships.

A committed ambassador, she promotes a vision of sport rooted in breath control, discipline, and deep respect for both the body and the environment. Strongly connected to the ocean and the Polynesian lagoons, she conveys through freediving and dance values of transmission, respect, and a profound connection to the living world.