One of the most well-rounded swimmers ever, Natalie Coughlin combines power, speed and beauty. One of the poster faces of the 2004 USA Olympic team, Coughlin bought pride to her nation with her performance. Coughlin left the 2004 Olympic Games as the most decorated female athlete, having won a total of five medals. At the 2007 World Championships, the biggest international swimming event leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Coughlin finished as the world’s most decorated female swimmer in World Championship history. Coughlin’s success at the 2007 World Championships has positioned her as one of the most exciting and marketable athletes heading into the 2008 Olympic Games, where she plans to defend her two gold medal titles (five Olympic titles total) and her reputation as one of the most talented swimmers in history. She has won many awards including the 2005 ESPY award nominee for “Best Olympic Performance” and “Best Performance by a Female Athlete”, the 2003 Women's Sports Foundation “Individual Sportswoman of the Year”, the 2001, 2002 and 2003 NCAA “Swimmer of the Year” award, the 2003 ESPY award nominee for “Best Female Collegiate Athlete” and “Best Record-Breaking Performance”, the 2002 “Female World Swimmer of the Year,” in Swimming World magazine, the 2002 ConocoPhillips Performance of the Year Award, and many more.
