Natalie Anne Coughlin Hall was born on 23rd August 1982. She is an American competition swimmer and model, she is twelve-time Olympic medalist. Ten days before her 20th birthday in 2002, she became the first woman ever to swim the 100-meter backstroke (long course) in under a minute. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she became the first U.S. female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympiad, and the first woman ever to win a 100-meter backstroke gold in two consecutive Olympics.
Coughlin’s success has earned her the World Swimmer of the Year Award one time and American Swimmer of the Year Award three times. She has won a total of forty-nine medals in major international competition, twenty-two gold, seventeen silver, and ten bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she earned a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Her total of twelve Olympic medals tie her with Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres for the most all-time by an American woman.
Coughlin was born in Vallejo, California, and is of Irish and one quarter Filipino ancestry.Coughlin first began swimming at the local YMCA when she was only 10 months old. She attended St. Catherine of Siena School in Vallejo, for kindergarten through eighth grade, and then Carondelet High School in Concord, California. While in high school in 1998, she became the first swimmer to qualify for the Summer National in all fourteen events. Coughlin broke two individual national high school records in the 200-yard individual medley (1:58.45) and the 100-yard backstroke (52.86). She graduated from Carondelet High School in 2000.
Coughlin attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she swam for coach Teri McKeever’s California Golden Bears swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 2001 to 2003. During her three years as a Cal Bears swimmer, she won eleven individual NCAA national championships, and a twelfth NCAA relay title. She was recognized as the NCAA Swimmer of the Year for three consecutive years; Sports Illustrated magazine named her its college Female Athlete of the Year. She graduated from the University of California with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2005.
At the ninth World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Coughlin won three medals-one gold, one silver, and one bronze. She won her gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke with Diana Mocanu(Romania) taking the silver and Antje Buschschulte (Germany) taking the bronze. Coughlin won her silver medal in the women’s 4×100-meter medley relay, teaming up with Megan Quann, Mary Descenza, and Erin Phenix; the Australians won the gold (Calub, Jones, Thomas, Ryan). Coughlin won her bronze medal in the 50-meter backstroke; fellow American Haley Cope won gold and Antje Buschschulte won the silver.
At the ninth Pan Pacific Championships in Yokohama, Japan, Coughlin won six medals-four golds and two silvers. Coughlin won one of her gold medals in the women’s 100-meter backstroke with a time of 59.72, and another in the women’s 100-meter butterfly with a time of 57.88. Coughlin won her third gold medal in the women’s 100-meter freestyle with a time of 53.99. She won her fourth gold medal in the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay with Elizabeth Hill, Diana Munz, and Lindsay Benko. She won her silver medals as a member of the second-place U.S. relay teams in the 4×100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter edley events.
At the tenth World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Coughlin won two medals, including a gold and a silver. Coughlin won her gold medal in the women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay and a silver medal in the 4×100-medley relay.
Coughlin worked as an in-studio host for MSNBC during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Coughlin competed in season 9 of Dancing with the Stars with season 1 professional champion, Alec Mazo. Coughlin appeared in the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She has also written a book called Golden Girl.
Career Highlights of Natalie Coughlin:
- Won her women’s record 20th career FINA World Championships medal with a gold medal in the 400m free relay in 2013
- Qualified for the 2013 FINA World Championships with a win in the 50m free at Phillips 66 Nationals
- The 50m national LCM title was the 16th of her career in six different events
- Won bronze in the 400m free relay at the 2012 Olympic Games in London
- Qualified for the 2012 Olympic team by finishing sixth in the 100m free
- Collected a bronze medal in the 100m back at the 2011 FINA World Championships while helping the 4x100m medley relay set an American record and win gold; also picked up a silver in the 4x100m free relay and finished eighth in the 100m free
- Won the 100m back, placed third in the 100m free, and helped the 4x100m free-relay and 4x100m med-relay to second place finishes at the 2010 FINA Short Course World Championships
- Claimed the national title in the 100m back during the 2010 CP National Championships
- First woman ever to win back-to-back Gold medals in the same event in consecutive Olympics, 100m back (2004/2008)
- Became the third woman to win five medals in a single Olympics
- She became the first woman to swim the 100m back in less than one minute
- 2002 USA Swimming Swimmer of the Year
- Three-time NCAA Swimming of the Year
- Three-time National Sullivan Award Finalist (nation’s top amateur athlete)
- First person since Tracy Caulkins (1978) to win five U.S. National titles at one meet (August 2002).
Olympic Wins of Natalie Coughlin:
-2012: (P) Bronze 4×100 Fr-R … 2008: Gold, 100m BK; Silver, 400m FR-R (AR)/ 400m MR; Bronze, 200m IM/100m FR (AR)/ 800m FR-R (AR) … 2004: Gold, 100m BK/800m FR-R(WR); Silver, 400m FR-R(AR) & 400m MR; Bronze, 100m FR
World Championship Wins of Natalie Coughlin:
-2013: Gold, 400m FR-R; 11th, 50m FR … 2011: Gold, 400m MR; Silver, 400m FR-R; Bronze, 100m BK; 8th, 100m FR … 2007: Gold, 100m BK(WR)/800m FR-R(WR); Silver, 400m FR-R(AR)/400m MR; Bronze, 100m FL(AR); 4th, 100m FR(AR); 8th, 50m FR … 2005: Gold, 800m FR-R; Silver, 100m FR(tie) & 400m MR; Bronze, 100m BK & 400m
FR-R … 2003: Gold, 400m FR-R; Silver, 400m MR … 2001: Gold, 100m BK & 800m FR-R(AR); Silver, 400m MR; Bronze, 50m BK
Pan Pacific Championship Wins of Natalie Coughlin:
-2010: Gold, 100m FR & 400m FR-R & 400m MR; Bronze, 100m BK … 2006: Gold, 100m FR & all three relays; Silver, 50m FR & 100m BK … 2002: Gold, 100m FR(AR) & 100m
BK & 100m FL; Gold, 800m FR-R; Silver, 400m FR-R & 400m MR … 1999: no medals
-SC Worlds History: 2010: Gold, 100m BK; Silver, 4x100m FR-R / 4x100m MR; Bronze, 100m FR
Records set by Natalie Coughlin:
More Honors for Natalie Coughlin:
- Three-time Sullivan Award finalist for the nation’s top amateur athlete (2001 -02, 05)
- 2004 Female Athlete of the Year and two-time Relay Performance of the Year (2004 Olympic and 2005 World Champ 800m free relay)
- 2003 Women’s Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year
- 2002 USA Swimming Athlete of the Year International
- 2002 Swimming World Female World Swimmer of the Year
Meet Honors for Natalie Coughlin:
- First woman under 1-minute in the 100m backstroke
- Swam the lead-off leg of the world record-setting 800m free-relay at the 2004 Olympic
- Games (the former 17-year-old record was the oldest one on the books); her lead-off
- split was the second- fastest time by an American woman and would have won the 200m free individually in Athens
- Three-time NCAA Swimmer of the Year (2001-03), won 11 of 12 possible NCAA titles over her career; also won one NCAA relay title
- 2004 Sports Illustrated on Campus’ Female Athlete of the Year
High School:
- 1998 Swimming World National High School Swimmer of the Year
- Top female point-getter on 1998 and 1999 Scholastic All-American teams
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Natalie Coughlin exceptionally talented and accomplished competition swimmer. She is twelve-time Olympic medalist. Has won a total of forty-nine medals in major international competition, twenty-two gold, seventeen silver, and ten bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships, held number of world records in swimming is in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You started began swimming at the local YMCA when you were only 10 months old and reached the pinnacle of success by winning a total of forty-nine medals in major international competitions: Twenty-two gold, seventeen silver, and ten bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships. What factors you consider were responsible that made you achieve that?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
I have great support team: parents, grandparents, sister, husband, coaches and the list goes on. I was a born competitor and found a sport that I could channel my competitive, Type-A nature.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
How did you feel before and after when just ten days before your 20th birthday in 2002 you became the first woman ever to swim the 100-meter backstroke (long course) in under a minute?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
That was one of those swims where I had pure clarity. I knew that I was going to break that record that night. I had been trying for that record for quite a while, but I knew that that night was the night. It wasn’t a perfect swim by any means, but I swam it with the aggressive confidence.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
I swim eight times a week, anywhere from an hour to two hours; I lift weights, four times a week for 90 minutes; I do yoga and Pilates on my own five times a week. Also I work with a physical therapist once a week for two hours.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
I don’t have a “strict” diet but eat very healthy. I prefer to eat healthy because it makes my body feel so much better. And healthy food doesn’t necessarily mean tasteless. Healthy food can be delicious when you take advantage of herbs, spices and seasonal food. I focus on what is in season, with a big emphasis on veggies and fruits. I don’t eat a lot of meat, but when I do I indulge with pastured, sustainably-raised meats from local farmers.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hairs. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hairs to make them look so stunning?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
Why, thank you! I take good care of my hair because of the time that I spend in the pool. I always wash my hair with a gentle shampoo and a rich conditioner, and follow up with a leave-in conditioner. Even though taking good care of my hair is important, I think diet is the biggest factor. One of the first signs of a diet lacking in vitamins and minerals is dull skin followed by dull hair.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding swimming girls who all are your fans, they shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in the field of competitive swimming?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
The best thing that any aspiring athlete can do is trust in the process. Success requires dedication, sacrifice and lots of hard work. Success doesn’t always come easy. Plateaus and obstacles are often part of the process. Success doesn’t always happen when we want it to happen. Trust in the process.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You are world leading competitive swimmer, media personality, model, style icon, spokesperson, author and a TV star. How you manage such a remarkable multi-dimensional lifestyle?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
Thank you. Balancing athletics, academics and my social life is something that I’ve done since I was a child. As the responsibilities increased, so did my experience balancing them. The best thing that I learned regarding this balance is that when you’re doing a task, focus on that task, and that task only. Don’t think about your to-
do list. Be in the moment.
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Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Who has been your greatest influencer and motivator in your success in the field of your career in competitive swimming ?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
Teri McKeever was my coach for 12 years (2000-2012) and had a huge influence on my career. She taught me how to focus on my technique better in practice and pay attention to the “feel” of the water. Many people have difficulty swimming because you’re in your own head. You can’t talk to anyone and you can’t put your ear buds in your ears. She taught me how to focus my attention onto how my body feels in the water and how to make it go faster.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have done bold photo shoots. How you are so body confident and advice to your compatriots?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
I’m assuming that you’re talking about the body paint photo shoot that I did for “Sports Illustrated.” I never considered it risque or bold. I have practically lived in a sheer bathing suit my entire life and I didn’t see much difference between that and body paint. Everything that needed to be covered was covered and it was something I could easily share with my family. That being said, not everyone is comfortable in a bathing suit. I have my own insecurities like everyone else, but I know that I’m fit and should be proud of my body.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?
Ms. Natalie Coughlin:
I just want to thank the readers of Womenfitness.net for all their support and they can follow my journey via social media. @NatalieCoughlin on Twitter, nataliecoughlin on Instagram.
To know more about Natalie Coughlin check out at: http://nataliecoughlin.com
Women Fitness Team thanks Natalie Coughlin for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and also like to thank Janey Miller Vice President Olympic Sports who made this interview happen.
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All content on this site is copyright of Women Finess and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http://www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.