Natalie Coughlin

Natalie Coughlin was born in California on August 23, 1982. In the 2008 Olympics, she became the first American woman in history to win six gold medals. I wonder if she was scared when her parents took her to a swimming pool when she was only 10 months old!! She first began swimming at the YMCA by where she lived.

Natalie grew up in California and graduated from the University of California at Berkley in 2005 with a degree in psychology.

When she was fifteen she was the first swimmer to enter the Summer National in all 14 events! In the 2004 Olympics she won a silver medal in the 4x100m Freestyle, a gold medal in the 100m Backstroke,  a gold medal in the 4x200m Freestyle, a bronze medal in the 100m Freestyle and a silver in the 4x100 Medley Relay. That's five Olympic medals in 2004!

She was elected to be the team captain with Dara Torres and Amanda Beard for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. She was the first American female athlete to win six medals in one Olympics. She won a silver medal in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay, a gold medal in the 100m Backstroke, a bronze in the 200m Individual Medley, a bronze in the 4x200m Freestyle Relay, a bronze in the 100 m Freestyle, and a silver in the 4x100 m Medley Relay.

Natalie Coughlin has won 11 Olympic Medals!!

Image courtesy of: http://www.nbcolympics.com 

For more information:
http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=542/bio/
http://swimming.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/852 
http://www.answers.com/topic/natalie-coughlin 

By Daniel and Jon, fourth grade, 2009

Last modified 03/20/2009

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