What happened to American swimming sensation Natalie Coughlin?

Natalie Coughlin made a name for herself in the pool, becoming one of the most decorated American swimmers over three Olympics in 2004, 2008 and 2012. She’s continued her athletic pursuits after her swimming career ended, and has been involved in some modeling as well.

According to the Olympics’ website, Coughlin has done something that only one other person has achieved. She managed to medal in each and every Olympic event she’s ever participated in (12). She shares this distinction with Paavo Nurmi.

Natalie Coughlin was the first woman to swim the 100-meter backstroke long course in less than a minute, when she broke the mark in 2002.

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She told Swimming World Magazine that she wanted to eclipse that record for a long time. “I kept thinking, ‘tonight is the night, tonight is the night’.” “I’m glad I finally did it, glad to get it over with. It takes a lot of pressure of me,” Coughlin said.

The Olympics website called Coughlin the top female swimmer at the 2004 Olympics, where she earned two out of her three career gold medals. All told, she took home five medals in those games.

For all of her achievements at the Olympics and world championship swimming events, Coughlin was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2022.

It was easy to see Coughlin’s success coming from a ways away. She was named Swimming World Magazine’s High School Swimmer of the Year in 1998. According to Swim Swam, she started her swimming career at six years old.

Coughlin was a standout athlete at the University of California. She still holds school records in the 100 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke, 200 meter backstroke, 100 meter butterfly and 200 meter butterfly.

However, Natalie Coughlin’s prodigious swimming career almost didn’t get started. In 1999, she pushed her body a little too far according to QZ’s website. She woke up with pounding pain in her shoulder. Fortunately for her, she was able to overcome this scary incident.

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In 2015, the swimmer agreed to pose without clothing for ESPN’s The Body Issue, highlighting the physiques of the best athletes in the world.

Coughlin was forthcoming in the piece that accompanied the Body Issue images. She said that she has scoliosis, and talked about the process she went through to get diagnosed. Coughlin also mentioned that she was self-conscious about her arms.

Even though Coughlin kept swimming in the 2010s, she stopped training as seriously as she did in the past, according to the Washington Post. However, she fell in love with another athletic discipline: running.

In March 2024, Coughlin completed the Napa Valley Marathon. On social media, she fittingly described herself as “a fish out of water.”

Even though she didn’t have specific aims, Coughlin has always enjoyed running. In an interview with Runner’s World, she lauded the benefits of running, as it helped strengthen her legs for swimming meets.

Coughlin told Runner’s World that she varies her running regimen. “One day, I’ll do a slow but hilly run; the next one, I’ll vary my speeds; the next, I’ll do an all-out spring with good form, then walk to recover, and repeat.”

Natalie Coughlin married fellow swimmer Ethan Hall back in 2009. It was reported in 2020 that they were expecting their second child.

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