Cal's Coughlin nearing history

August 18, 10:37 AMCal Bears ExaminerRob Calonge

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Natalie Coughlin is already Cal's most decorated female swimmer of all time, and after her medal in the women's 4x100 medley relay, she is now just one medal behind teammate Dara Torres and former Olympian Jenny Thompson for the most medals for an Olympic career of 12.

Although getting six medals was her goal on the way to Beijing, she wasn't completely sure how she'd do.  Oddly enough, she had already won five medals at the last Olympiad so it wasn't a stretch to expect that she'd come home with at least that many this time around. 

"When I went into this meet, I was so nervous going into this Olympics with six events," Coughlin said. "I have never done it at such a high caliber, but it got better as it went on."

Her time in Beijing has been fruitful as she's been able to accomplish what no other female swimmer has done, bring home the hardware to the tune of six medals.  She won the gold in her specialty, the 100 meter backstroke, then she took silver in the medley relay and 4x100 freestyle relay.  She also received bronze medals in the 100 meter freestyle, 200 individual medley, and the 4x200 freestyle relay.  All in all, she should get a pretty good neck workout by wearing all of those home.

She may be the United States best female swimmer of all time.  In her two Olympiads she's been able to nearly accomplish what Torres (in five) and Thompson (in four) did in multiple Olympic competitions.  She already has her sights set on London in 2012, where she should become the top U.S. female medalist of all time.

Cal swimming coach Terri McKeever, an assistant on the U.S. team, said that with a marriage on the way she expects that Coughlin will take time off and, "reflect on where she is and what she wants to do."

Getting six medals is a great accomplishment for any athlete at the games, and in any other Olympic games it would've garnered more exposure, but with Michael Phelps around scoring gold after gold medals, she's flown a little under the radar.  That doesn't seem to bother her much.  It shouldn't take anything away from the legacy that she's creating for herself.

Former Olympian and Stanford Cardinal thinks that Natalie is the most talented swimmer of her time, but isn't sure that's enough to make her a swimming legend.  "Our country has such a history and a legacy in this sport," said Sanders.  "That makes it tougher for people to solidify themselves as legends. I don't know what America is going to require. With Tracy, it wasn't just about her swimming. She just had this way about her. She appreciated things, and that's what Natalie has."

Well, she's a legend in our eyes Summer.