Claudia Poll

Claudia Poll
Poll in 2011
Personal information
Full nameClaudia María Poll Ahrens
Nationality Costa Rica
Born (1972-12-21) 21 December 1972
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubAsociación de Natación Cariari
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  Costa Rica
Olympic Games
1996 Atlanta 200 m freestyle
2000 Sydney 200 m freestyle
2000 Sydney 400 m freestyle
World Championships (LC)
1998 Perth 200 m freestyle
2001 Fukuoka 400 m freestyle
1994 Rome 200 m freestyle
1994 Rome 400 m freestyle
World Championships (SC)
1995 Rio de Janeiro 200 m freestyle
1995 Rio de Janeiro 400 m freestyle
1997 Gothenburg 200 m freestyle
1997 Gothenburg 400 m freestyle
Pan Pacific Championships
1993 Kobe 200 m freestyle
1997 Fukuoka 200 m freestyle
1997 Fukuoka 400 m freestyle
1993 Kobe 400 m freestyle
1997 Fukuoka 800 m freestyle
1993 Kobe 800 m freestyle
1995 Atlanta 200 m freestyle
1999 Sydney 400 m freestyle

Claudia María Poll Ahrens (born 21 December 1972) is a Costa Rican-Nicaraguan former swimmer who competed in the 200 m to 800 m freestyle events. She is Costa Rica's only Olympic gold-medalist, having won the country's first Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in the 200 meter freestyle. Claudia also competed at the 2000 Olympics, where she won two bronze medals. She is a multiple national record holder in the freestyle events.

She is the first person from Central America to win an Olympic gold medal. She was the only to do so until the 2008 Olympic Games when long jump athlete Irving Saladino of Panama won a gold medal.