Claudia Poll facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Claudia Poll

Poll in 2011
Personal information
Nationality	Costa Rica
Born	(1972-12-21) 21 December 1972 (age 52) Managua, Nicaragua
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Asociación de Natación Cariari
Medal record Women's swimming Representing  Costa Rica Olympic Games Gold 1996 Atlanta 200 m freestyle Bronze 2000 Sydney 200 m freestyle Bronze 2000 Sydney 400 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 1998 Perth 200 m freestyle Silver 2001 Fukuoka 400 m freestyle Bronze 1994 Rome 200 m freestyle Bronze 1994 Rome 400 m freestyle World Championships (SC) Gold 1995 Rio de Janeiro 200 m freestyle Gold 1995 Rio de Janeiro 400 m freestyle Gold 1997 Gothenburg 200 m freestyle Gold 1997 Gothenburg 400 m freestyle Pan Pacific Championships Gold 1993 Kobe 200 m freestyle Gold 1997 Fukuoka 200 m freestyle Gold 1997 Fukuoka 400 m freestyle Silver 1993 Kobe 400 m freestyle Silver 1997 Fukuoka 800 m freestyle Bronze 1993 Kobe 800 m freestyle Bronze 1995 Atlanta 200 m freestyle Bronze 1999 Sydney 400 m freestyle

Claudia María Poll Ahrens (born December 21, 1972) is a famous former swimmer from Costa Rica. She also has roots in Nicaragua. Claudia competed in freestyle swimming races, from 200 meters to 800 meters.

She made history for Costa Rica by winning the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal. This happened at the 1996 Olympics in the 200-meter freestyle event. Claudia also earned two bronze medals at the 2000 Olympics. She holds many national records in freestyle swimming.

Claudia Poll was the first person from Central America to win an Olympic gold medal. She held this unique title until 2008. That's when Irving Saladino from Panama won a gold medal in the long jump.

Claudia Poll's Swimming Journey

Claudia Poll started swimming in 1979. Her coach was Francisco Rivas. She quickly became one of the best swimmers in Central America. She won many titles in her region.

Olympic Gold in Atlanta

At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Claudia won the gold medal. This was for the 200-meter freestyle race. It was a huge moment for Costa Rica. It was their first gold medal ever at the Summer Olympic Games. Her win was a big surprise. She beat Franziska van Almsick, who was expected to win. Dagmar Hase from Germany won the bronze medal.

In 1997, Swimming World Magazine named her the Female Swimmer of the Year. This was a great honor for her.

More Olympic Medals

Claudia continued her success at the Sydney 2000 Games. She won two bronze medals there. At the Athens 2004 Games, she almost made it to the 400-meter freestyle final. She finished ninth in the qualifying heats.

Setting New Records

At the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, Claudia set new records. She broke the Games Records in the 200 and 400 freestyle events. Her times were 2:00.19 and 4:15.01. She even beat the time her sister Silvia Poll set in 1986.

After her swimming career, Poll worked as a swimming expert. She helped with the TV coverage for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She worked for the U.S. Telemundo network.

Claudia's Family Life

Claudia's parents are from Germany. They moved to Nicaragua before their children were born. Claudia and her older sister, Silvia, were both born in Managua, Nicaragua. However, the family moved to Costa Rica shortly after Claudia's birth in 1972. They decided it would be safer due to political tensions and the 1972 Nicaragua earthquake.

Claudia is not related to Marlene Ahrens. Marlene was another Olympic athlete and medalist from Latin America.

Claudia studied Business Administration. She graduated from the Universidad Internacional de las Américas in San José, Costa Rica, in 1998. She had her first child, a daughter named Cecilia, on August 8, 2007.

Claudia's sister, Silvia Poll, also won an Olympic medal. Silvia won a silver medal at the 1988 Games. As of 2021, Claudia and Silvia are the only people from Costa Rica to have won an Olympic medal.

Awards and Recognitions

Claudia Poll has received many honors for her achievements:

• She was named "Honor Citizen" by the Costa Rican Congress in 1996.
• She was named Costa Rican Sportswoman of the Year many times. This was in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000.
• The Agencia Prensa Latina named her Best Latin American Athlete in 1995, 1996, and 1997.
• Swimming World Magazine named her 1997 World Swimmer of the Year.
• She was declared Costa Rica's Athlete of the Century in 1999.

See also

In Spanish: Claudia Poll para niños

• World record progression 200 metres freestyle
• World record progression 400 metres freestyle