Ariana Kukors (born June 1, 1989) is an American former competition swimmer and former

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

holder in the 200-meter individual medley (long course). Ariana now works in private coaching related to athletic performance. Kukors has won a total of seven medals in major international competition, two golds, three silvers, and two bronze spanning the

World In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...

and the Pan Pacific Championships. She placed fifth in the 200-meter individual medley event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Personal

Kukors was born in

Federal Way, Washington Federal Way is a city in King County, Washington, United States. One of the most recently incorporated cities in the county, its population was 101,030 at the 2020 census. Federal Way is the tenth-largest city in Washington and the fifth-large ...

, in 1989, the daughter of Peter and Jaapje Kukors. Kukors began swimming at the age of five because of the influence of her older sister, Emily, who swam for Auburn University. Kukors also has one younger sister, Mattie, who previously swam for the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

from 2009 to 2011, and now swims for Arizona State University. Kukors is a 2007 graduate of

Auburn Mountainview High School Auburn Mountainview High School is located in Lea Hill on the east hill of Auburn, a city in King County, Washington, United States. It was named after the scenic views from the school, including the Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, and the Oly ...

in Auburn, Washington. Kukors swam for the

Washington Huskies The Washington Huskies are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Washington, located in Seattle. The school competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-1 ...

swim team at the

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattl ...

for one year, but left the university the year before the swim teams were cut as a cost-saving measure by the UW athletic department. In August 2009, Kukors relocated to Fullerton, California to train with the Fullerton Aquatics Sports Team (FAST), after her coach Sean Hutchison was named head coach. Kukors trains alongside

Katie Hoff Kathryn Elise Hoff (born June 3, 1989) is a former American competitive swimmer, she is an Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. Hoff was known for her success in the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley. She represented the Un ...

Margaret Hoelzer Margaret Josephine Hoelzer (born March 30, 1983) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. Hoelzer competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Olympic Games. Biography While in Huntsvil ...

, and

Caroline Burckle Caroline Stilwell Axel Burckle (born June 24, 1986) is an American former competition swimmer and Olympic bronze medalist. Early years Burckle was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She attended Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, and graduated ...

. Kukors is sponsored by TYR. Kukors graduated from Chapman University with a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in business in 2012.

Career

2004–2005

As a fifteen-year-old, Kukors competed at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the 200-meter individual medley but did not advance past the semi-finals, finishing 10th overall. The following year, Kukors competed at the 2005 World Championship Trials but did not qualify for the 2005 World Aquatics Championships. Her best results came in the 200 and 400-meter individual medley where she finished fifth.

2006–2008

At the 2006 National Championships, Kukors qualified to swim at the

2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships The tenth edition of the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, a long course (50 m) event, was held in 2006 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, from August 17–20. Six world records A world record is usually the best global and mo ...

and the 2007 World Aquatics Championships by finishing in second place in the 400-meter individual medley. Kukors also placed fourth in the 200-meter individual medley and fifth in the 100-meter backstroke. At the 2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Victoria, British Columbia, Kukors earned the first international medal of her career by finishing in second place behind compatriot

in the 400-meter individual medley. The following year, Kukors competed at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne, Australia, and placed fifth in the 400-meter individual medley. At the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Kukors placed third in the 200-meter individual medley behind Katie Hoff and

Natalie Coughlin Natalie Anne Coughlin Hall (born August 23, 1982) is an American former competition swimmer and twelve-time Olympic medalist. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, she became the first woman ever to swim the 100-meter backstro ...

, who edged her out by eight hundredths of a second. Kukors also placed sixth in the 400-meter individual medley and the 200-meter breaststroke.

2009

At the 2009 National Championships, Kukors only qualified to swim in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the

2009 World Aquatics Championships The 2009 World Aquatics Championships ( it, Campionati mondiali di nuoto 2009) or the XIII FINA World Championships were held in Rome, Italy from 18 July to 2 August 2009. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines ...

by finishing in third place in the 200-meter freestyle. In the 200-meter individual medley, Kukors placed third behind Julia Smit and Elizabeth Pelton. Only the top two finishers qualify to compete in one event at the FINA World Championships. However, Pelton withdrew from the event and was replaced by Kukors. Kukors also placed fourth in the 400-meter individual medley. At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Kukors won one gold and one silver medal. In her first event, the 200-meter individual medley, Kukors won gold in world record time. In the heats of the 200-meter individual medley, Kukors posted an

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

and championship record time of 2:08.53, just off Stephanie Rice's world record of 2:08.45. In the semi-finals, Kukors broke Rice's world record with a time of 2:07.03, over a second better than the previous mark. In the final of the 200-meter individual medley, Kukors won the gold and broke her own world record with a time of 2:06.15. In her second event, Kukors won a silver medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay with

Dana Vollmer Dana Whitney Vollmer (born November 13, 1987) is a former American competition swimmer, five-time Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, she won a gold medal as a member of the winning United States ...

Lacey Nymeyer Lacey Pearl Nymeyer (born October 29, 1985) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. Personal Nymeyer is a Tucson native who graduated in 2004 from Mountain View High School. She is also a ...

, and Allison Schmitt. For her performance in 2009, she was named the American Swimmer of the Year by '' Swimming World Magazine''.

2010

At the 2010 National Championships, Kukors qualified to compete at the

2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships The eleventh edition of the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, also known as the 2010 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, a long course (50 m) event, was held in Irvine, California, United States, from August 18–22. M ...

by finishing first in the 200-meter individual medley and second in the 400-meter individual medley. At the 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Kukors won silver in the 200-meter individual medley, finishing behind Australian

Emily Seebohm Emily Jane Seebohm, OAM (born 5 June 1992) is an Australian swimmer and television personality. She has appeared at four Olympic Games between 2008 and 2021; and won three Olympic gold medals, five world championship gold medals and seven Comm ...

. Kukors also finished ninth overall in the 400-meter individual medley. At the end of 2010, Kukors competed at the

2010 FINA Short Course World Championships The 10th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 15–19 December 2010. This swimming-only championships took place in the Dubai Sports Complex; all events were swum in a 25-meter ( short-course) ...

in Dubai, where she won one gold and one bronze medal. In the 100-meter individual medley, Kukors broke the championship record twice. In the final, her time of 58.95 was slightly behind her championship record time of 58.65 set in the semi-finals, but was still good enough for gold. In the 200-meter individual medley, Kukors placed third behind Spaniard

Mireia Belmonte ] Mireia Belmonte García (born 10 November 1990) is a Spanish Olympic, world, and European champion Swimming (sport), swimmer. She is the world record holder in the short course 200-metre butterfly and 400-metre individual medley. Formerl ...

and Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen. Kukors also competed in the 400-meter individual medley, where she finished sixth.

2011

At the

2011 World Aquatics Championships The 14th FINA World Championships () were held on 16–31 July 2011 in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. The 2011 World Championships featured five aquatics disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, open water, and synch ...

in Shanghai, Kukors competed in one event, the 200-meter individual medley. She was not able to defend her 2009 crown, and finished in third place behind Chinese Ye Shiwen, and Australian Alicia Coutts with a time of 2:09.12.

2012

At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials, the U.S. qualifying meet for the Olympics, Kukors qualified for the U.S. Olympic team by finishing second in the 200-meter individual medley with a time of 2:11.30. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she placed fifth in the finals of the 200-meter individual medley.

Retirement

Kukors officially announced her retirement from competition on September 26, 2013. She now works as the director of health inspiration for LifeWise Health Plan of Washington and writes for their online magazine Actively Northwest.Keith, Braden
"World Record Holder Ariana Kukors Officially Retires After Year Away From Swimming."
SwimSwam. (accessed September 28, 2014).

References

External links

* * * * *

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kukors, Ariana 1989 births Living people American female breaststroke swimmers American female freestyle swimmers American female medley swimmers Olympic swimmers of the United States People from Auburn, Washington People from Federal Way, Washington Sportspeople from King County, Washington Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics Washington Huskies women's swimmers World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming World record setters in swimming Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Michigan Wolverines women's swimmers 21st-century American women