Ariana Kukors has announced that she is joining the wave of American un-retirements and will join the elite training group at the Trojan Swim Club.
Kukors, who is still the World Record holder in the 200 long course meter IM, announced her retiremebt in September of 2013, though she was still hit with a random drug test by the USADA in the 4th quarter of that year.
Kukors doesn’t see it as a “comeback,” though, according to her personal blog post announcing the decision. She says that instead, she’s “ready for Swimming 2.0…returning to a passion that I love, with a new perspective, a different set of experiences, and dreams I still need to chase.”
Though Kukors hasn’t set a specific date for a return to competition, she did tell Seattle’s King5.com that she plans to build up arm strength and return to full training on July 1st, with a return to competition by next year. With no USADA drug tests in the 1st quarter of 2014, she wouldn’t have been eligible to race at US Nationals this summer, which means no 2014 Pan Pacs team or 2015 World Championships team.
Kukors recently launched a business with fellow Olympian and World Record holder Rebecca Soni, who is based out of Los Angeles, so it’s probably of little surprise that Trojan is where Kukors will train. The training is a logical fit as well, with Salo having a similar philosophy to the Sean Hutchison, low-yardage style training that brought her so much success early in her career.
Having never won an Olympic medal, Kukors was the 2009 World Champion in the 200 IM, and in the process broke the World Record both in the semi-finals (2:07.03) and the finals (2:06.15). At still just 25 years old, she is still in the prime of her career, age-wise.
Kukors announced her retirement after finishing 5th in the 200 IM at the 2012 summer Olympic Games.
Does anybody know whether Rebecca Soni has decided to retire?
Danjohnrob – yes.
Thank you, Braden. She accomplished so much in her career! I just couldn’t believe how quickly her world record was broken!
Sean and Dr Dave don’t do low yardage (maybe in comparison to Troy). Both of their athletes do/did plenty of volume comparable to most teams.
I’m sure she’d like to try one more time to win an Olympic medal, and I wish her luck! She was so nervous at the Olympics that her adrenaline must have been uncontrollable at the start and she must have been running on fumes the last 25. I’m sure she’ll try to make the 800 free relay too; with (hopefully) Schmitt, Franklin and Ledecky at full strength on the team that relay will be tough to beat, so getting a spot on that team will be very competitive!
Hadn’t heard that she retired in the first place. Well, good to see her back anyway.
Perhaps Hoff, Kukors, Leverenz, DiRado and Pelton will push each other to bring USA back in the medal chance conversation in that event on the women’s side (under 2.09).
Good news for the US women’s 200 IM.