Natalie Coughlin: Back in a minute

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Coughlin
Firstname
Natalie
Country
United States
Date of birth
1982-08-23
Birthplace
Concord
Height
172 cm
Weight
62.0 kg
Disciplines
backstroke, freestyle, butterfly, relays
World Records
13 (100m backstroke, 100m medley - short-course: 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 100m butterfly, 4X100m medley, 4x200m) - long course - up to 01/07/2008
Olympic Games (5 medals - 2 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)
100m freestyle: 3rd (2004)100m backstroke: 1st (2004)4x100m freestyle relay: 2nd (2004)4x200m freestyle relay: 1st (2004)4x100m medley relay: 2nd (2004)
World Championships (16 medals - 5 gold, 6 silver, 4 bronze)
100m freestyle : 2nd (2005)50m backstroke: 3rd (2001)100m backstroke: 1st (2001, 2007), 3rd (2005)100m butterfly: 3rd (2007)4x100m freestyle relay: 1st (2003), 2nd (2007), 3rd (2005)4x200m freestyle relay: 1st (2001, 2005, 2007)4x100m medley relay: 2nd (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007)
Pan Pacific Championships (11 medals - 8 gold, 3 silver)
100m freestyle: 1st (2002, 2006)100m backstroke: 1st (2002), 2nd (2006)100m butterfly: 1st (2002)4x100m freestyle relay: 1st (2006), 2nd (2002)4x200m freestyle relay: 1st (2002, 2006)4x100m medley relay: 1st (2006), 2nd (2002)
Other Honours
Swimming World's female swimmer of the year (2002)
Back in a minute
Not only was Natalie Coughlin the first woman to swim the 100m backstroke in under a minute when she was just 20, but the American also travels to Beijing as the world champion and defending Olympic champion.
The adventure began in 2001 when she won her first world championship gold in Japan, coming out on top in a wonderful duel with Romania's Diana Mocanu.
But it was the following year when she really grabbed the headlines with a stunning 100m backstroke chrono of 59.58sec at the 2002 US Championships confirming her position as the world's finest at that distance.
Interestingly, Coughlin beat her own record five years on at the 2007 worlds as she and France's Laure Manadou struggled neck-and-neck to gold and silver in Melbourne. While Coughlin clocked 59.44 and took gold, Manadou became only the second woman to go under a minute.
She reduced the 100m backstroke mark again during a preliminary heat of a Grand Prix in Columbia, Missouri in February 2008 clocking 59.21sec. and then became the first woman to go under 59 seconds on July 1 when she stopped the clock at 58.97secs at the US Olympic trials.
But returning to 2002 briefly, Coughlin was centre stage at the Pan Pacifics where she won six medals (four gold) to tie Aussie megastar Ian Thorpe as the most decorated swimmer and also posted the second fastest time ever in the 100m freestyle, touching home in a brilliant 53.99 seconds.
These feats won her the accolade of female swimmer of the year for 2002.
Heading into 2003 great things were hoped for at the world championships in Barcelona but on the eve of that tournament she fell victim to a bout of flu and although she bravely raced on despite a high fever, she failed to get past the heats of any individual event.
She did help the US to a 4x100m freestyle gold and 4x100m medley silver although the fever induced flop took the weight from her shoulders for Athens 2004.
Greek goddess
The Games were a bona fide success as she won five Olympic medals including gold in the 100m backstroke and 4x200m freestyle relay in which the Americans smashed the oldest swimming world record still standing.
She again showed her diversity taking bronze in the 100m freestyle and added a pair of silvers in the 4x100m relays (freestyle and medley).
She took her foot off the gas pedal somewhat after the Games and was beneath her best at the 2005 world championships in Montreal where she only managed bronze in her preferred 100m backstroke. The 4x200m freestyle in which the US dominates was her only gold at the Canadian competition.
Then of course at the 2007 worlds in Australia a rejuvenated Coughlin reclaimed her 100m backstroke crown with a world record breaking performance, throwing down the gauntlet for China in 2008. Those Melbourne worlds also provided her with a 100m butterfly bronze and a gold and pair of silvers in the three relays.
She is a keen surfer, enjoys volleyball and is known as a good cook and fine amateur photographer, so she can retire from the competitive scene after 2008 with plenty of other activities to fill in her free time including no doubt keeping her medal collection polished.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - AFP)first published:August 01, 2008, 16:55 ISTlast updated:August 01, 2008, 16:55 IST
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