Natalie Coughlin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Natalie Coughlin Hall

Coughlin in 2018
Personal information
Birth name	Natalie Anne Coughlin
Nickname(s)	Nat
Born	(1982-08-23) August 23, 1982 (age 42) Vallejo, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	139 lb (63 kg)
Spouse(s)	Ethan Hall (2009–present)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke, butterfly, freestyle, individual medley
Club	California Aquatics
College team	University of California, Berkeley
Coach	Teri McKeever (Cal Berkeley)
Medal record Women's swimming Representing  United States International aquatics competitions Event 1st 2nd 3rd Summer Olympics 3 4 5 World Championships (LC) 8 7 5 World Championships (SC) 2 5 1 Pan Pacific Championships 11 4 1 Pan American Games 1 2 1 Total 25 22 13 Summer Olympics Gold 2004 Athens 100 m backstroke Gold 2004 Athens 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2008 Beijing 100 m backstroke Silver 2004 Athens 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2004 Athens 4×100 m medley Silver 2008 Beijing 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley Bronze 2004 Athens 100 m freestyle Bronze 2008 Beijing 100 m freestyle Bronze 2008 Beijing 200 m medley Bronze 2008 Beijing 4×200 m freestyle Bronze 2012 London 4×100 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 2001 Fukuoka 100 m backstroke Gold 2003 Barcelona 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2005 Montreal 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2007 Melbourne 100 m backstroke Gold 2007 Melbourne 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2011 Shanghai 4×100 m medley Gold 2013 Barcelona 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2001 Fukuoka 4×100 m medley Silver 2003 Barcelona 4×100 m medley Silver 2005 Montreal 4×100 m medley Silver 2005 Montreal 100 m freestyle Silver 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m medley Silver 2011 Shanghai 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 2001 Fukuoka 50 m backstroke Bronze 2005 Montreal 100 m backstroke Bronze 2005 Montreal 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 2007 Melbourne 100 m butterfly Bronze 2011 Shanghai 100 m backstroke World Championships (SC) Gold 2010 Dubai 100 m backstroke Gold 2014 Doha 4×50 m mixed free Silver 2010 Dubai 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2010 Dubai 4×100 m medley Silver 2014 Doha 4×50 m freestyle Silver 2014 Doha 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2014 Doha 4×50 m medley Bronze 2010 Dubai 100 m freestyle Pan Pacific Championships Gold 2002 Yokohama 100 m freestyle Gold 2002 Yokohama 100 m backstroke Gold 2002 Yokohama 100 m butterfly Gold 2002 Yokohama 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2006 Victoria 100 m freestyle Gold 2006 Victoria 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2006 Victoria 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2006 Victoria 4×100 m medley Gold 2010 Irvine 100 m freestyle Gold 2010 Irvine 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2010 Irvine 4×100 m medley Silver 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m medley Silver 2006 Victoria 50 m freestyle Silver 2006 Victoria 100 m backstroke Bronze 2010 Irvine 100 m backstroke Pan American Games Gold 2015 Toronto 4×100 m medley Silver 2015 Toronto 100 m freestyle Silver 2015 Toronto 4×100 m freestyle Bronze 2015 Toronto 50 m freestyle

Natalie Anne Coughlin Hall (born August 23, 1982) is a famous American swimmer. She has won many medals, including twelve at the Summer Olympics. Natalie was the first woman to swim the 100-meter backstroke in under one minute.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she made history. She was the first American woman to win six medals in one Olympics. She was also the first woman to win the 100-meter backstroke gold medal twice in a row. In her last Olympic appearance in 2012, she won a bronze medal.

Natalie has been named the World Swimmer of the Year once. She also won the American Swimmer of the Year Award three times. Overall, she has won sixty medals in big international swimming events. These include 25 gold, 22 silver, and 13 bronze medals.

Early Life and Swimming Start

Natalie Coughlin was born in Vallejo, California. Her parents are Jim and Zennie Coughlin. She has a mix of Irish and Filipino family background. Natalie started swimming when she was 8 years old. She joined the Vallejo Aquatics Club. Her coach there was Tuffy Williams.

She went to St. Catherine of Siena School and then Carondelet High School. In high school, she became the first swimmer to qualify for the Summer National competition in all fourteen events. She also set two national high school records. Natalie finished high school in 2000.

College Swimming Career

Natalie went to the University of California, Berkeley. She swam for the California Golden Bears team from 2001 to 2004. During her time there, she won eleven individual national championships. She also won one team relay title.

She was named the NCAA Swimmer of the Year for three years in a row. Natalie also received the Honda Sports Award twice. This award recognizes the best college female swimmer. Sports Illustrated magazine even called her their college Female Athlete of the Year. In 2014, Natalie was added to the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame. She earned her degree in psychology in 2005.

International Swimming Success

Early World Championships

At the World Aquatics Championships in Japan in 2001, Natalie won three medals. She got a gold in the 100-meter backstroke. She also won a silver in the 4×100-meter medley relay and a bronze in the 50-meter backstroke.

In 2002, at the Pan Pacific Championships in Japan, Natalie won six medals. She earned four gold medals. These were in the 100-meter backstroke, 100-meter butterfly, 100-meter freestyle, and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. She also won two silver medals in other relay events.

At the World Aquatics Championships in Spain in 2003, Natalie won two more medals. She took home a gold in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and a silver in the 4×100-meter medley relay.

2004 Athens Olympics Achievements

Natalie had an amazing performance at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She won a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke. She also helped her team win a gold medal and set a world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.

She earned two silver medals in relay events. These were the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and the 4×100-meter medley relay. Natalie also won a bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle event.

World Championships and Pan Pacific Success

At the World Aquatics Championships in Canada in 2005, Natalie won five medals. She earned a gold in the 200-meter freestyle relay. She also took home two silver medals and two bronze medals in other races.

In 2007, at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, Natalie won five more medals. She got two gold, two silver, and one bronze. She even broke her own world record in the 100-meter backstroke. She also helped her team set a new world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.

2008 Beijing Olympics Highlights

Coughlin in 2008

The 2008 Beijing Olympics were very special for Natalie. She became the first American female athlete to win six medals in one Olympics. She was also a team captain for the U.S. women's swimming team.

Natalie won a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke. This made her the first woman to win this event in two Olympics in a row. She also won silver medals in two relay events. She earned three bronze medals in other individual and relay races.

Return to Competition

After taking a break from swimming, Natalie returned in 2010. She competed at the U.S. Summer Nationals. She then qualified for the Pan Pacific Championships.

At the Pan Pacifics, Natalie was again a team captain. She won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle, setting a new record for the event. She also won two more gold medals in relay races.

Later World Championships and Olympics

At the World Aquatics Championships in China in 2011, Natalie won three medals. She earned a gold in the 4×100-meter medley relay. She also got a silver in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and a bronze in the 100-meter backstroke.

In 2012, Natalie competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials. She qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She swam in the qualifying round for the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Even though she didn't swim in the final, she earned a bronze medal when her team placed third. This was her twelfth Olympic medal. She tied the record for the most Olympic medals won by a female U.S. athlete.

In 2013, Natalie competed at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships. She won a gold medal in the 4×100 freestyle relay. She swam her part of the race very fast. In 2015, she set an American record in the 50-meter backstroke.

Life After Swimming

Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame plaque

After her swimming career, Natalie has been involved in many other activities. She was a spokesperson for C20 Coconut Water.

Natalie loves to cook. She has appeared on cooking shows like Iron Chef America and Chopped. She even grows vegetables and herbs in her backyard. She also raises chickens!

She competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2009. Natalie has also written a book called Golden Girl. She appeared in special issues of Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine.

In 2015, Natalie became an investor in a frozen food company called Luvo Inc. In 2017, she became a partner in Gaderian Wines. In 2021, she was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. In 2023, Natalie was elected to a leadership role for the board of directors of USA Swimming.

Personal Life

In April 2009, Natalie married Ethan Hall, a swim coach. They have a daughter, born in 2018, and a son, born in 2020.

Swimming Records

Long Course (50 meter pool)

Short Course (25 meter pool)

United States open record

See also

In Spanish: Natalie Coughlin para niños

• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of multiple Olympic medalists
• List of multiple Summer Olympic medalists
• List of multiple Olympic medalists at a single Games
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• List of United States records in swimming
• List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)
• List of world records in swimming