Natalie Coughlin

Natalie Anne Coughlin Hall (born August 23, 1982) is an American former competition swimmer and twelve-time Olympic medalist. She achieved a significant milestone in 2002 when she became the first woman ever to swim the 100-meter backstroke (long course) in less than one minute. Coughlin's impressive performance continued at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where she became the first U.S. female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympiad. Additionally, she became the first woman to win a 100-meter backstroke gold in two consecutive Olympics. Throughout her career, Coughlin has earned a total of sixty medals in major international competition, including the Olympics, the World Championships, the Pan Pacific Championships, and the Pan American Games.