Natalie Coughlin Done Competing for National Team, Not Officially Retired

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Natalie Coughlin will not call herself retired, but she admitted in an interview with NBC OlympicTalk that she is most likely done competing at major competitions.

“I don’t see myself competing for the national team again,” Coughlin told NBC. “I think that part is in my past, which I’m happy about and grateful. I don’t see myself trying to go to a world championships or an Olympic team again, but at the same time you never know.”

Coughlin last competed this summer at the Olympic Trials in Omaha, where she finished eighth in the 100 back and 14th in the 100 free. A day after the 100 free semifinals, she held an impromptu press gathering that she was pulling out of her final event, the 50 free, although there, too, she would not call herself retired.

Coughlin has won 12 Olympic medals in her three Olympic Games, and she won a medal in every single Olympic event she ever qualified for. She is tied with Dara Torres and Jenny Thompson for the most medals won by any American female swimmer.

That list includes two straight gold medals in the 100 back in 2004 and 2008, and she was the first woman to break 1:00 in the event, holding the world record from 2002 until 2008. She also won World titles in that event in 2001 and 2007. Her résumé in six long course World Championships appearances includes eight gold medals, seven silver in five bronze.

As for what she is up to now, Coughlin has dipped her toe into broadcasting, providing color commentary for NBC at the arena Pro Swim Series meet in Indianapolis last weekend.

“Everyone thinks that they can do that job, and it is quite difficult,” Coughlin said, according to NBC. “I remember the producers beforehand asking me if I’ve ever worked with a telestrator, and I had no idea what they were talking about.”

Read more from NBC OlympicTalk by clicking here.

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Bill Bell

7 years ago

Can’t write the book on Katie Ledecky just yet but I think it can be safely said w/out equivocation that Natalue Coughlun is so the greatest woman collegiate swimmer of all- time and also one of the greatest swimmers of all- time, women or men, American or international. Congratulations on an exenplary career, Natalie, but Tokyo’s only three short years away!

Aunt Kim

7 years ago

@NatalieCoughlin @NatalieCoughlin will be a champ in whatever she chooses to do next.

Susan L. Lansbury

7 years ago

Class act!

Jan

7 years ago

Adios. Should have retired in 2013

J Loucks

7 years ago

It’s official she just retired. Just too much pride and fight to admit the obvious. Swimming needs a new version of Rowdy as a champion/cheerleader versus a drab tactician doing the commentary.

Debbie Alston Janicke

7 years ago

Such a tough lady!!!

Claude Guertin

7 years ago

Ben voyons!!!