The World Competes

Back in April, I wrote about Natalie Coughlin’s impressive swimming record, and how she was involved in other things, such as appearing on View from the Bay and getting married (she trains at Berkeley). At the time, I was not sure whether she was training for London 2012 or not. A recent report at TeamUSA.org notes that she is planning on competing in the 2012 Olympics.

Not only that, she will have the chance to set some records. Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres both have twelve medals each. Coughlin has 11. One more medal, she ties the other swimming greats, two more medals, she becomes the most decorated female swimmer of all time.

Coughlin took a break from swimming after Beijing, but today, she is back in the pool, and has just about reached her Beijing times once again. If she keeps up the hard work, two medals probably won’t be that difficult.

She has two years left to train: the London Olympics are now two years away.

Although the swimming world was focused on Michael Phelps in 2008, another swimmer had an impressive year as well. This swimmer was Natalie Coughlin. In any other era, her accomplishments would seem amazing.

Coughlin’s first Olympics was in Athens in 2004. There, she won two gold medals, two silver medals, and a bronze. In 2008, while everyone was paying attention to Michael Phelps, she won one gold, two silver, and three bronze medals, for a total of 11 medals total. In Beijing, she was the first female athlete to win six medals at one Olympics.

Coughlin is currently 27 and still practices at the pool; hopefully we will see her return in 2012. Outside of swimming, she has been on Dancing with the Stars (Season 1). She got married in 2009. She likes to cook; she has been a judge on Iron Chef America, and recently appeared on “The View From the Bay” as a guest chef. Click on the link to see her on View from the Bay.