View source for Kristy Kowal

{{Short description|American swimmer (born 1978)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name           = Kristy Kowal
| image          = <!-- Only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people -- see [[WP:NONFREE]]. -->
| image_size     = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| fullname       = Kristina Ann Kowal
| nicknames      = "Kristy"
| national_team  = {{USA}}
| strokes        = [[Breaststroke]]
| club           = Athens Bulldog Swim Club
| coach          = [[Jack Bauerle]] (U. Georgia)
| collegeteam    = [[Georgia Bulldogs swimming and diving|University of Georgia]] 2002
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1978|10|9|mf=y}}<ref name="Olympedia">{{cite web |title=Olympedia - Kristy Kowal |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/93874 |website=Olympedia |date=December 29, 2022}}</ref>
| birth_place    = [[Reading, Pennsylvania]], [[United States]]
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| height         = {{convert|6|ft|0|in|m|abbr=on}}
| weight         = {{convert|146|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
| website        = {{URL|kristykowal.com|KristyKowal.com}}
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalCount
|total=yes
|[[Swimming at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]|0|1|0
|[[FINA World Aquatics Championships|World Championships (LC)]]|2|2|0
|[[Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|Pan Pacific Championships]]|1|1|3
}}
{{MedalCount
|total=yes
|[[Breaststroke|200 m Breaststroke (OG/WC)]]|0|3|0
|[[Breaststroke|100m Breaststroke (OG/WC)]]|1|0|2
|[[Breaststroke|50m Breaststroke (OG/WC)]]|0|1|0
|[[Medley swimming|Women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay (OG/WC)]]|1|0|0
}}
{{MedalSport|Women's [[Swimming (sport)|swimming]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Swimming at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|{{GamesName|SOG|2000|Swimming}}|[[Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre breaststroke|200 m breaststroke]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FINA World Aquatics Championships|World Championships (LC)]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships|1998 Perth]] | [[Swimming at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships – Women's 100 metre breaststroke|100 m breaststroke]]}}
{{MedalGold | 1998 Perth | [[Swimming at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships – Women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 1998 Perth | [[Swimming at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships – Women's 200 metre breaststroke|200 m breaststroke]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[Swimming at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships|2001 Fukuoka]] | [[Swimming at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships – Women's 50 metre breaststroke|50 m breaststroke]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|Pan Pacific Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1997 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|1997 Fukuoka]] | [[1997 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|1999 Sydney]] | [[1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Women's 200 metre breaststroke|200 m breaststroke]]}}
{{MedalBronze | 1997 Fukuoka | [[1997 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Women's 200 metre breaststroke|100 m breaststroke]]}}
{{MedalBronze | 1999 Sydney | [[1999 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Women's 200 metre breaststroke|100 m breaststroke]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|2002 Yokohama]] | [[2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Women's 200 metre breaststroke|200 m breaststroke]]}}
}}

'''Kristina Ann Kowal''' (born October 9, 1978) is an American [[swimming (sport)|swimmer]], Olympic medalist, World Champion, and former world record-holder.  Kowal represented the United States at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] in [[Sydney]], winning the silver medal in the [[Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre breaststroke|200-meter breaststroke]].<ref name="olympedia">{{cite web |title=Olympedia – Swimming at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, Women's 200 metres Breaststroke |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/8641 |website=[[Olympedia]] |date=December 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite Sports-Reference|df=mdy-all}}</ref> 

==Early life and swimming==
Kristy Kowal was born on October 9, 1978 in Reading, Pennsylvania, to Edward and Donna Kowal,<ref name=parents>"Kowal Takes Silver", ''The Patriot-News'', Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, September 22, 2000, pg. 21</ref> and attended nearby [[Wilson High School (Pennsylvania)|Wilson High School]] in West Lawn.<ref name=State>"Swimming, State Championship Seedings", ''The Evening News'', March 9, 1993, pg. 28</ref>  In the District 3 Championships at Wilson High in March, 1993, Kowal swam a 1:06.12 for the 100 breast stroke, a meet record, qualifying for the State Championships in Harrisburg.<ref name=championships>"District 3 Championships, ''The Patriot-News'', Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, March 7, 1993, pg. 29</ref> She seeded third in the 200-yard individual medley for the State Championships with a 2:08.47, also a District 3 meet record.<ref name=State/> In the PIAA Championships at Penn State, swimming for Wilson High in March, 1995, Kowal placed first in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:02.63, winning the state championship, and seeded first in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:03.91.<ref>"Swimming Seeds, PIAA Championship", ''The York Dispatch'', York, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1995, pg. 12</ref>  

In the summer of 1995, before her Senior year at Wilson High, Kowal attended the Central Penn Aquatics Summer swim program session.<ref>"Linn's Goals, NCAA title", ''The Patriot News'', Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, June 25, 1995, pg. 34</ref>  On July 27, 1997, Kowal broke the meet record at the Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships in the 100-meter breast stroke with a time of 1:08.80.<ref>"Nationally", ''York Daily Record'', York, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1997, pg. 25</ref>

===University of Georgia===
Enrolling around the fall of 1997, Kowal helped her college team, the [[Georgia Bulldogs swimming and diving]] team of the [[University of Georgia]] (UGA), win two [[NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships]].  She was the NCAA swimmer of the year in 1999 and 2000.  At the University of Georgia, Kowal was trained and mentored by Head Coach [[Jack Bauerle]], and competed with top women swimmers, Stef Williams, a 2001 World Championships competitor, and 2000 Olympic gold medalist [[Courtney Shealey]].<ref name=Assistant>Dudinskie, Scott, "Williams Headed to Japan for Top Event", ''Press Enterprise'', Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, July 15, 2001, pg. 29</ref><ref name=Bauerle>{{cite web|url=https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/sports-outdoor-recreation/uga-swim-and-dive-teams/|title=University of Georgia Swim and Dive Teams|website=www.georgiaencyclopedia.org|access-date=March 10, 2025}}</ref><ref name="olympedia"/><ref name=teacher/>  In conference-wide competition, she was a 16-time Southeastern Conference champion for Georgia from 1997-2000.<ref name=Circle>{{cite web|url=https://georgiadogs.com/news/2012/4/16/Interview_with_Circle_of_Honor_Inductee_Kristy_Kowal|title=April 14, 2012, University of Georgia, Circle of Honor, Kristy Kowal, Shealy Join Circle of Honor|website=georgiadogs.com|access-date=March 11, 2025}}</ref>

She won eight NCAA titles and 10 U.S. Swimming national titles. During her college career she held 8 American and one world record.  Kowal was the first American woman to break the one-minute barrier in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1998.  While still in High School, Kowal broke a National Federation Record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a 1:01.47 at the District 3 Meet at Franklin and Marshall College in February,1996.<ref name=Federation>Oberholzer, Michelle, "Williams Breaks National Record", ''The Sentinel'', Carlisle, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1998, pg. 36</ref><ref name=KK>{{cite web|url=https://www.kristykowal.com/|title=Kristy Kowal Website, About Kristy|website=kristykowal.com|access-date=March 11, 2025}}</ref><ref name="olympedia"/><ref name=teacher/> In 2000, she was named [[NCAA Woman of the Year Award|NCAA Woman of the Year]] and was a recipient of the [[Today's Top VIII Award]] as a member of the [[List of Recipients of Today's Top VIII Award#Today's Top VIII Award (1995-Current)|Class of 2001]], which honors eight senior student-athletes each year. She graduated from UGA in 2002 with a [[Bachelor of Science]] in Education (B.S.Ed). She holds a master's degree in elementary education.<ref name=KK/><ref name="olympedia"/><ref name=teacher/>

===International competition===
She was the first American woman to win a world championship title in the 100-meter breaststroke on January 13, 1998 at the FINA World Championships in Perth, Australia in a close race with a time of 1:08.42.<ref name=firstwoman>Schlaback, Mark, "Georgia's Kowal Has Historic Win," ''The Atlanta Journal'', Atlanta, Georgia, January 14, 1998, pg. 115</ref>  During her career she held 8 American Records, and one World Record.<ref name="olympedia"/>  Kowal became a member of the United States Swimming Team in 1995 at the age of 16.<ref name=Madison/>  She participated in the 1998 and 2001 World Championships, and won gold medals in 1998 in the medley relay and 100-metre breaststroke. At the 1998 World Championships, she also won a silver medal in the 200 metre breaststroke and won a silver medal in the 50 metre breaststroke at the 2001 World Championships. At the Pan Pacific Championships she won five medals from 1997-2002, capturing a gold medal in the medley relay in 1997.<ref name="olympedia"/>

==Olympics==
She placed third and seventh in the 100 and 200-meter breastroke finals in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic trials, failing to make the team.  She placed third in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2004 Athens Olympic trials in Long Beach, California, and did not qualify for the team.<ref name=Madison>{{cite web |url=https://madison.rbusd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1889041&type=u&pREC_ID=2255933 |title=Georgia Athletic Hall of Fame, Kristy Kowal |date=December 30, 2022}}</ref><ref name="olympedia"/><ref>Harris, Beth, "Phelps Second in Backstroke," ''Indiana Gazette'', Indiana, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2004, pg. 17</ref> 

===2000 Sydney Olympic silver medal===
Kowal missed out qualifying for the 2000 Olympic 100-meter trials, placing third by only .001 seconds, and requiring a second place to qualify.  She performed well and qualified in the 200-meter U.S. breast stroke trials, however, swimming a U.S. record time of 2:15.8, the third fastest time in the history of the event.<ref name=Johnson>Johnson, Troy, "Reading Native Finishes Second in Breaststroke", ''The Patriot-News'', Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, September 22, 2000, pg. 17</ref> 

Kowal's University of Georgia Coach Jack Bauerle was an Assistant Coach for the U.S. Olympic Women's swim team in 2000.  At 21, Kowal represented the United States at the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] in [[Sydney]], winning the silver medal in the [[Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Women's 200 metre breaststroke|200-meter breaststroke]] with a time of 2:24.56, finishing only .21 seconds behind Hungary's [[Agnes Kovacs]].  Kowal took an early lead and led through the first 100 meters, but Kovacs, who came from fifth place, bore down on Kowal and passed her in the final meters, taking the gold medal.  American Amanda Beard, a 1996 Atlanta Olympic medalist, finished in third place taking the bronze medal.<ref name="olympedia">{{cite web |title=Olympedia – Swimming at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, Women's 200 metres Breaststroke |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/8641 |website=[[Olympedia]] |date=December 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite Sports-Reference|df=mdy-all}}</ref> 

By 2005, Kowal had retired from competitive swimming.  She has served as an Elementary School Teacher in Pennsylvania, often in the Wilson school district where she grew up, and has stayed active in the swimming community by serving with [[Swim Across America]], and the Mutual of Omaha Breakout! Swim Clinics.  In 2015, she was a third grade teacher in the Wilson School district, and taught a swim clinic to the Colonial Clippers Swim team, an age-group team associated with the Colonial Golf and Tennis Club in greater Harrisburg.<ref name=madison>{{cite web |url=https://madison.rbusd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1889041&type=u&pREC_ID=2255933 |title=Elementary School Teacher Kristy Kowal |date=December 30, 2022}}</ref><ref name="olympedia"/><ref name=Clippers>"Heavy Medal", ''The Patriot-News'', Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, June 30, 2015, pg. 35</ref>

===Honors===
Kowal was inducted into the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame in 2009, the [[National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame]] in 2010, University of Georgia's Circle of Honor in 2012 and the Georgia Aquatic Hall of Fame in 2013.<ref name="olympedia"/><ref name=teacher>{{cite web|url=https://gahof.org/?portfolio=kristy-kowal|title=Georgia Aquatic Hall of Fame, Kristy Kowal|website=gahof.org|access-date=March 10, 2025}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)]]
* [[List of University of Georgia people]]
* [[List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)]]
* [[World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|https://www.kristykowal.com/}}
* {{World Aquatics}}
* {{Olympics.com profile}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427160217/http://polishsportshof.com/inductees/swimming/kristy-kowal/ |date=mdy |title=National Polish-American Sports HOF profile}}

{{Footer World LC Champions 100m Breaststroke Women}}
{{Footer World LC Champions 4x100m Medley Women}}
{{Footer Pan Pacific Champions 4x100m Medley Women}}
{{Footer USA Swimming 2000 Summer Olympics}}
{{Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year navbox}}
{{Southeastern Conference Swimmer of the Year navbox}}
{{NCAA Woman of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kowal, Kristy}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American female breaststroke swimmers]]
[[Category:American people of Polish descent]]
[[Category:World record setters in swimming]]
[[Category:Georgia Bulldogs women's swimmers]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Reading, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year winners]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportswomen]]=