Natalie Coughlin
Biographical information
| Roles | Competed in Olympic Games |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Full name | Natalie Anne•Coughlin (-Hall) |
| Used name | Natalie•Coughlin |
| Born | 23 August 1982 in Vallejo, California (USA) |
| Measurements | 173 cm / 63 kg |
| Affiliations | University of California Berkeley/California Aquatics |
| NOC |  United States |
| Medals | OG |
| Gold | 3 |
| Silver | 4 |
| Bronze | 5 |
| Total | 12 |
Biography
Natalie Coughlin burst onto the international swim scene at the 2001 World Championships, winning a gold medal in the 100 backstroke and a bronze in the 50 backstroke. In 2002 at the Pan-Pacifics, she was more dominant, winning six medals, four gold, with three individual championships in the 100 free, 100 fly, and 100 back. Coughlin was an early favorite for the 2004 Olympics, but her performance in 2003, and especially at the World Championships, was lackluster. There she won only two relay medals, although it was later revealed that she was quite sick and had considered not competing. Although somewhat overshadowed by the media attention given Michael Phelps, Coughlin was the top female swimmer at the 2004 Olympic Games, winning five medals, including two gold. Individually, she won the 100 metre backstroke and finished third in the 100 freestyle. She won her second gold medal in the 800 metre freestyle relay, and added two silvers as a member of the United States’ teams in the other relays.
Coughlin continued after 2004 and won a 4x200 freestyle relay gold medal at the 2005 World Championships. In 2007, she won the 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle at the Worlds, adding a gold medal in the 4x2 free relay. In Beijing, she was again eclipsed by the frenzy that surrounded American swimmers Michael Phelps and Dara Torres. But she competed in six events, winning a medal in all of them, highlighted by an individual gold medal in the 100 backstroke, becoming the first woman to defend that Olympic title. In three Olympics, she competed in 12 events and won 12 medals, three gold. This gives her an unusual Olympic record, which she shares with Paavo Nurmi, of having entered the most Olympic events while winning a medal in all of them.
Results
| Games | Discipline (Sport) / Event | NOC / Team | Pos | Medal | As | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Natalie Coughlin | |||
| 100 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 2 | Silver | |||
| 4 × 200 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 1 | Gold | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 2 | Silver | |||
| 2008 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Natalie Coughlin | |||
| 100 metres Freestyle, Women (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 2 | Silver | |||
| 4 × 200 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 3 | Bronze | |||
| 100 metres Backstroke, Women (Olympic) | 1 | Gold | ||||
| 200 metres Individual Medley, Women (Olympic) | 3 | Bronze | ||||
| 4 × 100 metres Medley Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 2 | Silver | |||
| 2012 Summer Olympics | Swimming (Aquatics) | USA |
Natalie Coughlin | |||
| 4 × 100 metres Freestyle Relay, Women (Olympic) | United States | 3 | Bronze |
Special Notes
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Summer Pan American Games (1–2–1 2015 Toronto SWI gold: 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 100 m freestyle and 4×100 m freestyle relay, bronze: 50 m freestyle)
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Long Course Swimming (100 m backstroke – 13 August 2002 - 11 August 2008: 59.58 (13 August 2002; Fort Lauderdale, USA), 59.44 (27 March 2007; Melbourne, AUS), 59.21 (17 February 2008; Columbia, USA), 59.03 (30 June 2008; Omaha, USA), 58.97 (1 July 2008; Omaha, USA); 4×200 m freestyle relay – 18 August 2004 - 3 August 2006 and 29 March 2007 - 14 August 2008: 7:53.42 (18 August 2004; Athina, GRE), 7:50.09 (29 March 2007; Melbourne, AUS))
- Listed in Olympians Who Set a World Record in Short Course Swimming (100 m backstroke – 29 November 2001 - 22 February 2009: 57.08 (29 November 2001; East Meadow, USA), 56.71 (23 November 2002; East Meadow, USA), 56.51 (28 October 2007; Singapore, SGP); 200 m backstroke – 27 November 2001 - 23 February 2008: 2:03.62 (27 November 2001; East Meadow, USA); 100 m butterfly – 22 November 2002 - 28 August 2006: 56.34 (22 November 2002; East Meadow, USA); 100 m medley – 23 November 2002 - 10 August 2009: 58.80 (23 November 2002; East Meadow, USA); 4×100 m medley relay – 16 December 2011 - 11 December 2015: 3:45.56 (16 December 2011; Atlanta, USA))
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships (11–4–1 2002 Yokohama gold: 100 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke, 100 m butterfly, and 4×200 m freestyle relay, silver: 4×100 m freestyle relay and 4×100 m medley relay; 2006 Victoria gold: 100 m freestyle, 4×100 m freestyle relay, 4×200 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 50 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke; 2010 Irvine gold: 100 m freestyle, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 100 m backstroke)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Aquatics Championships (8–7–5 2001 Fukuoka SWI gold: 100 m backstroke and 4×200 m freestyle relay, silver: 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 50 m backstroke; 2003 Barcelona SWI gold: 4×100 m freestyle relay, silver: 4×100 m medley relay; 2005 Montréal SWI gold: 4×200 m freestyle relay, silver: 100 m freestyle and 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 100 m backstroke and 4×100 m freestyle relay; 2007 Melbourne SWI gold: 100 m backstroke and 4×200 m freestyle relay, silver: 4×100 m freestyle relay and 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 100 m butterfly; 2011 Shanghai SWI gold: 4×100 m medley relay, silver: 4×100 m freestyle relay, bronze: 100 m backstroke; 2013 Barcelona SWI gold: 4×100 m freestyle relay)
- Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the World Short-Course Swimming Championships (25 m) (2–6–1 2008 Manchester silver: 4×100 m medley relay; 2010 Dubai gold: 100 m backstroke, silver: 4×100 m freestyle relay and 4×100 m medley relay, bronze: 100 m freestyle; 2014 Doha gold: 4×50 m freestyle mixed relay (swam in heats only), silver: 4×50 m freestyle relay, 4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×50 m medley relay)