ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR NATIONAL ATHLETES, SPORTS

Claudia Poll national athlete

Claudia Maria Poll Ahrens (born 21 December 1972) is a Costa Rican swimmer who competes in the 200 m to 800 m freestyle events. She is Costa Rica's only gold-medalist, having won the country's first Olympic gold medals at the 1996 Olympics in the 200 meter freestyle. She is a multiple national record holder in the freestyle events.

Her sister, Silvia, won Costa Rica's first Olympic medal at the 1988 Games. As of 2014, Claudia and Silvia are the only Costa Ricans to have won a medal at an Olympics. Claudia also competed at the 2000 Olympics, where she won two bronze medals.

Moreover, she was the first person from Central America to win a gold medal, and the only person to do so, until the 2008 olympic games Beigin when Irving Saladino of Panama won a gold medal.

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