ESPNW writer Bonnie Ford wrote an article about Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin, discussing her life. Coughlin shared information about her love for cooking, her desire to continue swimming, battling through injuries, rediscovering her love of the sport, and her transition from Coach to Teri Makeover to Dave Durden.
The entire article was interesting, but the bit that stood out the most was that she under-performed at the 2014 US National Championships due to severe food poisoning. While many swimming fans started to believe that Natalie Coughlin was fading athletically, she proved that to be untrue in June when she broke the US Open record in the women’s 50 backstroke at the Santa Clara stop for the Arena Pro Swim Series.
“A bout of severe food poisoning, of all things, helped derail her bid to qualify for next month’s world championships in Russia. She had to settle for the consolation prize of the Pan American Games.”
She told Ford that her new mindset has helped her bounce back and learn to focus on what is important.
“I’m a different competitor than I used to be,” she says. “When I was younger, I would get so angry at the stupidest things. If a competitor looked at me funny. Or, if I lost a race, it was the end of the world. Now I know it’s not the end of the world. In some ways, I don’t take swimming so seriously, and in other ways, I take it more seriously. I let the little things go when it’s important to let it go. I enjoy the process much more.”
Coughlin will be swimming the 50 and 100 freestyle in Toronto at the 2015 Pan American Games for Team USA this week. The relays have not been decided yet, but she has a great shot at being on several relays as well.
She still could make the team at Pan Pacs, couldn’t she
USA Swimming used the 2014 National Championships as the qualifying meet for both the Pan Pac team and the World Championship team. She missed both last summer.
I think you mean that Natalie underperformed at the 2014 US Nationals, not 2015 Nationals. I think it was classy that, in interviews immediately following the meet last summer, Natalie did not give excuses for her sub-par results, but instead stated she was proud of her herself because she knew she had done everything within her power to perform well.
Please. Excuses excuses. She didn’t make worlds because she didn’t swim fast enough. Period.
she’s amazing! i hope she swims well in canada. she looks very fit and should do well.
She could easily have made the 100back individual spot last year, Franklin was having an off year and it took I think a 1.00.70 to make the time a time she can swim today even if she’s sick. the beauty of the 100back is the medley relay consideration as well. I’m glad she’s flirting with the 100back yet again