|
Natalie Coughlin
- Earned five medals at the 2004 Olympic Games, including a gold medal in the 100m backstroke and the world-record breaking 800m freestyle relay
- Joined Shirley Babashoff, Marion Jones, Shannon Miller, Mary Lou Retton and Dara Torres as the only U.S. women to win five medals in one Olympics.
- Won 2004 Olympic silver in the 400m freestyle relay, 400m medley relay; bronze in 100m freestyle
- First woman under one minute (59.58) in the 100m backstroke and the first U.S. woman to break 54 seconds in 100m free (long course) - 53.99
- World record-holder in 100m and 200m back (short course)
- Won a gold (800m freestyle relay), two silvers (100m freestyle, 400m medley relay) and two bronze medals (100m backstroke, 400m freestyle relay) at the 2005 World Championships
- Gold medalist in 100m back and 800m free relay at 2001 World Championships
- 11-time U.S. National champion
- First swimmer since 1978 to win five national titles at one meet (2002 Summer Nationals) and established a world record and American record at the same time
- American record-holder in over 10 events, including the 50m, 100m and 200m back (long course)
- Injured her shoulder (torn labrum) before the 2000 Olympic Trials and missed qualifying for the Games
- One of five finalists for the 2002 Sullivan Award that recognizes the top amateur athlete in the nation
- Swimming World's 1998 National High School Swimmer of the Year at Carondelet H.S.
- Award NCAA Swimmer of the Year twice while swimming for UC-Berkeley
- Has a boxer named Jake … enjoys surfing … loves to cook and appeared with Al Roker on the Today Show to cook up a pork and persimmon risotto dish (Dec. 2002)
- Many people mispronounce her last name, which is properly pronounced COG-lin
Coughlin started swimming in her parents’ pool at 10 months of age and began competing by age 6. Her first meet didn’t turn out as well as the 2004 Olympics. "I remember, I think it was my first meet, I entered the 25 fly,” Coughlin said. “I couldn't even get my arms out of the water, and I got DQ. I don't know what evil official would DQ a 6-year-old, but ... it was a little discouraging."
Related Links
Photo gallery: Post-Olympics: Ballgames, award shows and more
Q&A: Natalie Coughlin on breaking records, soup and surf
Photo gallery: Olympian swimmer Natalie Coughlin
Photo gallery: Swimmer Natalie Coughlin
On returning to the pool: "I plan to swim at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. After all, I'm still improving."
|
Height: 5' 8
Born: 8/23/1982
Hometown: Concord, Calif.
Resides: Berkeley, Calif.
Sport: Swimming
Event: backstroke, freestyle, butterfly,ind. medley
|
|
|
