Maya DiRado facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Maya DiRado

DiRado in Santa Clara, California in 2016
Personal information
Nickname(s)	Maya
Born	(1993-04-05) April 5, 1993 (age 32) Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in
Weight	143 lb
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, butterfly, backstroke, medley
Club	Santa Rosa Neptunes
College team	Stanford University
Coach	Greg Meehan
Medal record Women's swimming Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m backstroke Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro 400 m medley Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m medley World Championships (LC) Gold 2013 Barcelona 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2015 Kazan 400 m medley Pan Pacific Championships Gold 2014 Gold Coast 200 m medley Silver 2014 Gold Coast 400 m medley

Madeline Jane "Maya" DiRado-Andrews (born April 5, 1993) is a retired American swimmer. She was known for her skills in different swimming styles. These included freestyle, butterfly, backstroke, and individual medley events.

Maya went to Stanford University. There, she won important NCAA swimming titles. She earned gold medals in the 200 and 400 meter individual medley races in 2014. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, she won four medals. These included two gold, one silver, and one bronze. After the Olympics, Maya decided to retire from competitive swimming.

Early Life and School Years

Maya DiRado's parents are Marit and Ruben DiRado. Her father's family came from Italy to Argentina after World War II. Maya got her nickname from her sister, who found it hard to say "Madeline."

Maya started swimming when she was six years old. She joined the Santa Rosa Neptunes team. Another Olympic swimmer, Molly Hannis, was also on this team. When Maya was 17, she finished high school at Maria Carrillo High School in Santa Rosa. She was a three-time state champion in the 200-yard individual medley (IM). In 2010, her senior year, she set a California state record in the 200-yard IM. She also won the 100-yard freestyle race.

College Swimming Career

Maya followed her family's tradition and attended Stanford University. In her first year, she placed second in the 200-yard IM. She also finished third in the 400-yard IM at the NCAA Championships. The next year, she continued to do well in the IM events. She also placed second in the 200-yard backstroke.

Maya became the fifth woman ever to swim the 400 IM in under four minutes. In 2013, she earned third and second place in the 200 and 400-yard IM events. She also placed fifth in the 200-yard backstroke. Maya finished her college career by winning her first individual titles in both the 200 and 400-yard IM. She also placed second in the 200-yard butterfly. Because of her great performance, she was named Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year.

Maya's Swimming Journey

Trying for the 2012 Olympics

In 2012, Maya competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials. This event decided which swimmers would go to the Olympics. She swam in the 200-meter IM, 400-meter IM, and 200-meter backstroke. She finished fourth in both IM events. Only the top two swimmers in each event qualified, so she did not make the Olympic team that year.

World Championships in 2013

Maya qualified for the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona. She competed in three events. These were the 400-meter IM, 200-meter butterfly, and the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. She earned her spot by winning the 400-meter IM at the U.S. National Championships. She also won a silver medal in the 200-meter butterfly.

Maya swam in the early race for the 4x200-meter freestyle relay. The team that swam in the final race won the gold medal. Because Maya helped the team get to the final, she also received a gold medal. She finished fourth in the 400-meter IM and twelfth in the 200-meter butterfly.

Pan Pacific Championships in 2014

Maya won two medals at the 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in 2014. She earned a gold medal in the 200-meter IM. She also won a silver medal in the 400-meter IM. In the 200-meter IM, she beat Australian swimmer Alicia Coutts to win gold. Her time tied a record set in 2010. She finished second in the 400-meter IM, behind her teammate Elizabeth Beisel. Maya also placed ninth in the 200-meter butterfly.

World Championships in 2015

Maya competed in two individual medley events at the 2015 World Championships. In her first event, the 200-meter IM, she just missed a medal, finishing fourth. However, she won her first individual World Championship medal in the 400-meter IM. She finished second in this race, behind Katinka Hosszú.

2016 Summer Olympics Success

At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, Maya qualified for the U.S. Olympic team for the first time. She won the 200-meter individual medley, 400-meter individual medley, and 200-meter backstroke.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Maya won four medals. She earned two gold, one silver, and one bronze. On the first night, she finished second in the 400-meter individual medley. Katinka Hosszú won gold and set a new world record. Maya also won a bronze medal in the 200-meter individual medley. This was her personal best time.

Even though she did not swim the 200-meter freestyle at the Trials, Maya was chosen for the final 4x200-meter freestyle relay team. With teammates Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, and Katie Ledecky, Maya won her first Olympic gold medal. In her last event, the 200-meter backstroke, Maya faced Hosszú again. Hosszú was expected to win. However, Maya made a strong push in the last part of the race. She beat Hosszú by a tiny amount to win her second gold medal.

DiRado visiting a U.S. military base in Afghanistan in December 2016

Retirement from Competitive Swimming

Maya DiRado retired from competitive swimming after her amazing performances at the 2016 Olympics. She decided to stay involved in the swimming world. She became a board member for the United States Swimming Foundation and USA Swimming.

In 2020, Maya spoke to the leadership council at the University of Minnesota. She talked about what it means to be a good team player and leader in swimming. She was still retired from competitive swimming as of August 2021.

Personal Life

Maya DiRado married Rob Andrews on September 19, 2015. Rob was also a swimmer at Stanford. They met while they were both on the Stanford swim team. In August 2021, Maya announced that she and Rob were expecting a baby boy. In January 2022, they welcomed their son, Charlie Alan Andrews.

In March 2017, Maya joined McKinsey & Company, a company that helps businesses. She worked as a Business Analyst. She helped improve how healthcare providers bought supplies. She also helped banks find and manage risks. As of May 2018, she was working at King Philanthropies, an organization that gives grants to good causes. Maya earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Stanford in Management Science and Engineering.

Maya's Best Swimming Times

See also

In Spanish: Maya Di Rado para niños