HE is
Kurt Niehaus
Who is Kurt Niehaus?
Kurt Niehaus Bonilla began his athletic career in 1990 and has made water an essential part of his life ever since. He has won thirty national championships, sixteen Central American and Mexican Championships, and Central American and Caribbean Championships, both in swimming and open water.
Kurt has distinguished himself by leading by example and helping people achieve a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle.
About Kurt Niehaus
Kurt Niehaus Bonilla began his athletic career in 1990 and has made water an essential part of his life ever since. He has won thirty national championships, sixteen Central American and Mexican Championships, and Central American and Caribbean Championships in both swimming and open water.
WORK
- Director Kurt Niehaus Swim Academy (2014-)
- Head coach of Piratas de Aguas Abiertas team (2010-)
- Coach of the Costa Rica National Team (2016-2018)
- Open water swimming event organizer (2004-2016) and creator of the Circuito de Aguas Abiertas
- Assistant Coach, Tualatin Hills Swim Club, Portland, Oregon
- TED Speaker x Joven Pura Vida 2011, with the theme “A High Performance Life”
- Speaker for multinationals on how to transform their employees into high-performing executives
- University Facilitator for the course “Competing through people” at TEC de Monterrey and Thunderbird School of Global Management
SOME SUCCESSES AS A SWIMMER
- Thirty-two Costa Rican national titles
- Fifteen times Central American and Mexican champion, six times Central American and Caribbean champion
- Nine National Category Swimming Records in the Pool
- Two Central American and Mexican records
- Oregon State Champion, USA, 2002
- Participation in the World Championships in short course (1997) and long course (1998)
- 20th in the world in the 5km at the World Open Water Swimming Championships (2000)
- Two Olympic qualifiers (2008, 2012)
- Participation in the World Open Water Swimming Championships (2000, 2005, 2007, 2009)
- Fourteen times champion of the 3000 meters at Punta Leona
- He competed in the US college system with the University of Southern California and in the club system with Tualatin Hills
- Top 10 in the World Aquatics world ranking in the 400 and 800 meters category 40-44 years (2022-2023)
AS A COACH
- National Coach at the World Short Course Championships, Canada 2016
- National Coach at the World Junior Championships, Indianapolis 2017
- Its swimmers have won 14 gold medals at the Central American Championships
- 23 Swimmers Complete 21km Open Water Race in Key West
- One of its swimmers won the open water competitions in Key West and Punta Leona
- 2 Swimmers Complete Open Water Triple Crown
- 1 swimmer completed an open water Triple Crown event
- One of its swimmers ranked 12th in the world in the ultra distance (2021)
- Her swimmers have completed open water crossings such as the Bristol Channel, North Channel, Angel Island, 8 Bridges Hudson River, SCAR Swim, Swim Around Charleston, and the Portland Bridge Swim.
- A swimmer has won the 2015 Central American and Caribbean Open Water Championships.
- Its swimmers have broken five CAMEX records, ten national category records and two overall records.
- A swimmer participated in the Youth Olympic Games (Buenos Aires 2018).
- The Piratas team won the National Master Championship in short course (2014-2019) and long course (2018, 2019, 2023, 2024).
- Two swimmers ranked in the World Aquatics Top 10 (2022 and 2023).
- Team Piratas achieved 16th place at the USA Master Summer Nationals (2024).
- ASCA (American Swimming Coaches Association) Level 3 Certified.
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