| Rank | Event | Year | Location | Result |
| Olympic Games | ||||
| 1 | 100m Backstroke | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 58.96 |
| 1 | 100m Backstroke | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 1:00.37 |
| 1 | 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 7:53.42 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 3:34.33 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 3:53.30 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 3:36.39 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 3:59.12 |
| 3 | 100m Freestyle | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 53.39 |
| 3 | 200m Individual Medley | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 2:10.34 |
| 3 | 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay | 2008 | Beijing, CHN | 7:46.33 |
| 3 | 100m Freestyle | 2004 | Athens, GRE | 54.40 |
| World Championships | ||||
| 1 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2011 | Shanghai, CHN | 3:52.36 |
| 1 | 100m Backstroke | 2007 | Melbourne, VIC, AUS | 59.44 |
| 1 | 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay | 2007 | Melbourne, VIC, AUS | 7:50.09 |
| 1 | 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay | 2005 | Montreal, QC, CAN | 7:53.70 |
| 1 | 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay | 2003 | Barcelona, ESP | 3:38.09 |
| 1 | 100m Backstroke | 2001 | Fukuoka, JPN | 1:00.37 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay | 2011 | Shanghai, CHN | 3:34.47 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay | 2007 | Melbourne, VIC, AUS | 3:35.68 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2007 | Melbourne, VIC, AUS | 3:58.31 |
| 2 | 100m Freestyle | 2005 | Montreal, QC, CAN | 54.74 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2005 | Montreal, QC, CAN | 3:59.92 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2003 | Barcelona, ESP | 4:00.83 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2001 | Fukuoka, JPN | 4:01.81 |
| 3 | 100m Backstroke | 2011 | Shanghai, CHN | 59.15 |
| 3 | 100m Butterfly | 2007 | Melbourne, VIC, AUS | 57.34 |
| 3 | 100m Backstroke | 2005 | Montreal, QC, CAN | 1:00.88 |
| 3 | 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay | 2005 | Montreal, QC, CAN | 3:38.31 |
| 3 | 50m Backstroke | 2001 | Fukuoka, JPN | 28.54 |
| 8 | 100m Freestyle | 2011 | Shanghai, CHN | 54.22 |
| Pan Pacific Championships | ||||
| 1 | 100m Freestyle | 2010 | Irvine, CA, USA | 53.67 |
| 1 | 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay | 2010 | Irvine, CA, USA | 3:35.11 |
| 1 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2010 | Irvine, CA, USA | 3:55.23 |
| 3 | 100m Backstroke | 2010 | Irvine, CA, USA | 59.70 |
| World Championships Short Course | ||||
| 1 | 100m Backstroke | 2010 | Dubai, UAE | 56.08 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay | 2010 | Dubai, UAE | 3:29.34 |
| 2 | 4 x 100m Medley Relay | 2010 | Dubai, UAE | 3:48.36 |
| 3 | 100m Freestyle | 2010 | Dubai, UAE | 52.25 |
Nickname
Speed Racer [a name given to her by coach Teri McKeever] and Nat. (Swimming World Magazine, 01 June 2003; usaswimming.org, 06 Dec 2007)
Hobbies
Cooking, surfing, photography, running, Pilates, gardening, hanging out with her two dogs and chickens. (Facebook profile, 02 Nov 2011) (USA Swimming Site 24/05/01)
Occupation
Athlete
Education
Psychology - University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
Language(s) spoken
English
Club name
California Aquatics, Berkeley, CA, USA
Coach
Teri McKeever (3wiresports.com, 13 Apr 2011)
Other sports
Her younger sister Megan swam for the University of California Davis. (US Swimming, 30 Jan 2007)
Debut
1999 for United States, Pan Pacific Championships (Australia) (speedousa.com, 30 Jan 2007)
Injuries
After the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens an ankle injury sidelined her for a few months, but in 2005 she could train and compete again. (natalie-coughlin.com, 06 Dec 2007)
Additional information
Start of sporting career
She began swimming lessons at the age of 10 months and started competing at the age of six. (USOC, 19 Jun 2003)
Reason for taking up this sport
"I love swimming, and I know how lucky I am to be able to compete at this level. I enjoy training, staying fit and having the opportunity to be outdoors and travel. Swimming allows me to do these things. Swimming also forces me to push myself daily. The whole process of getting ready for competition is what really motivates me." (usaswimming.org, 13 Dec 2006)
Ambitions
To compete at London 2012 Olympic Games and become the most decorated American female swimmer of all time. (nataliecoughlin.com, 02 Nov 2011)
Training
She swims nearly every day. She also does cross training that includes lifting weights, pilates and running. (radiers.com, 29 Feb 2012)
Most memorable sporting achievement
Winning Olympic gold in the 100m backstroke at Athens in 2004. (Facebook profile, 02 Nov 2011)
Hero
Alice Waters. (Facebook profile, 02 Nov 2011)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Some rise, some fall, some climb to reach the top of the mountain." [from the Grateful Dead's Terrapin Station]. (Speedo USA, 30 Jan 2007)
"Life's up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals - Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones to build the life you want." (Facebook profile, 02 Nov 2011)
"Swimming is funny; effort and force don't always translate to fast swims. The water is dynamic and doesn't always respond to sheer force." (Twitter Profile, 11 Nov 2011)
Awards
She was the first woman in Olympic history to win back-to-back 100m backstroke gold. (nataliecoughlin.com, 02 Nov 2011)
She was the most decorated female athlete at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. (nataliecoughlin.com, 02 Nov 2011)
At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, she became the first US female athlete to win six medals at a single Games. (cbc.ca, 17 Aug 2008)
She received the Sports Illustrated Female Athlete of the Year Award in 2004. (US Swimming, 31 Jan 2007)
She was named by US Swimming and Swimming World Magazine as its Female Swimmer of the Year for 2002. (US Swimming, 11 Mar 2004)
General
MULTIMEDIA PRESENCE
In April 2006 she released a book she wrote with sports journalist Michael Silver called "Golden Girl: How Natalie Coughlin Fought Back, Challenged Conventional Wisdom, and Became America's Olympic Champion". She was on popular reality show "Dancing with the Stars" in 2009. (usaswimming.org, 30 Oct 2011)
ENVIRONMENTALIST
She has a passion for health and the environment. She grows her own organic fruits and vegetables, and raises chickens for eggs. She is also an advocate for renewable energy. (nataliecoughlin.com, 02 Nov 2011)
BROADCASTING TIPS FOR KIDS
She was an Olympic analyst for MSNBC during the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin. In 2011 she shared her thoughts on commentating and it's potential impact on young athletes. "One of the most frustrating things for me, after watching a competition or the broadcast of something, is when the announcer says, ‘How disappointing for so-and-so - they get the silver medal.' I don't think anyone but the athlete gets to decide that. It's a dangerous message to kids to tell them they have to win to be successful. There's only one winner in every event. If everyone else is a failure, what are we doing?" (usaswimming.org, 06 Dec 2007; 3wiresports.com, 13 Apr 2011)
EARLY DAYS
Her first swimming meet did not quite turn out the way she had planned. "I remember, I think it was my first meet. I entered the 25m fly. I couldn't even get my arms out of the water and I got a DQ. I don't know what evil official would DQ a six-year-old but it was a little discouraging." (US Swimming, 20 Feb 2007)
Previous Olympics
Beijing 2008, Athens 2004
