Twelve-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin has been selected as one of six athletes that will be featured on the cover of ESPN’s “The Body” issue.
SwimSwam’s Loretta Race reported on June 22nd that Coughlin would be one of 24 athletes featured in the 2015 edition of the magazine. Of her appearance in the magazine’s feature, Coughlin commented to NBC Olympics, “One of the things I love about the Body Issue so much is that it celebrates the bodies that allow us to be successful in our sport. As a sports fan, I love seeing the differences in body types.”
The other five athletes featured on the different covers of the issue include Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper, Olympians Amanda Bingson and Chantae McMillan, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kevin Love, and New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
For more from the 2015 Body Issue, check out espn.com/bodyissue! You will be able to pick up a print copy on newsstands starting July 10. Click here to view her interview with ESPN reporter Morty Ain about her overcoming scoliosis, her “insane flexibility, ever-changing stroke, and what it was like to take it all off for the Body Issue.”
Photo Courtesy Of ESPN
so many downvotes because people are making comments on how she has a nice body. isn’t that what the body issue is for? to marvel at the body of a professional athlete? to see how ripped, toned, jacked, big, powerful, and beautiful they are. jeez lighten up on the down votes guys. you know they went over board when GMM gets 10 downvotes and didn’t even say anything about her body but rather how much she has changed swimming.
It probably takes a confident personality that agrees to do a photoshoot like this and maybe it just rubs people the wrong way. I agree with Jane that this is a vulnerable position and appears to not highlight the strength of swimming in women. Where’s Ledecky when you need her? There is a difference between seeing Phelps on the cover in a strong athletic position and a photo like this.
I figured out what the oddness of the photo is, in my opinion. This photo makes Natalie look vulnerable as it is a bit “come hither.” Usually, with athletes, you see them in their moments of strength, steeliness, and ferocity. The beauty of their bodily selves, achieved from years of hard, diligent work, is seen in motion and in times of performance. So, in this photo image of Natalie, she is sitting, doing nothing, sultry, and perhaps in a “weak” moment. I am a feminist, Title IX, so I like photos of athletes that show strength and motion. Oh, well, ESPN is geared toward the male audience, hence, Natalie’s sexy-instead-of-strong image. For example, the nude Griner and Selenski “body” images… Read more »
It means nothing to have nice body without an amazing character and personality, so that is where the focus needs to be, Personality is everything..
Natalie’s been evolving the sport, breaking barriers for a long, long time. She’s not flashy and she does it with class…….and she’s still breaking records. So impressive…. (I’m still mad she didn’t win Dancing With the Stars.)
Me too, Mel! I remember she said something about her personality worked against her a little. She’s a perfectionist but she said in dancing you have to risk sacrificing perfection in order to let loose and express yourself a bit, so she came across as very proficient but stiff. I’ll bet she’d do even better if they gave her a 2nd chance.
The upper chest area looks cleaved like a scar from 1990s open heart surgery . I’d object if I were her .
What is wrong with you?
70-80 year old former open heart surgery ladies have sunkenchests like that with scars running the full length.
Do I think she looks like this – no – it is the result of photoshopping . Her head is also too big here .
If she does not want the pic to be commented on , then don’t pose for it . Simple .
Gina, those are pectoral muscles that you see, nothing else. Most, if not all of photography is smoke and mirrors, with the POSSIBLE exception of sports photography. Most of today’s photogs think that it is ok to fix photos in post processing by using Photoshop, but most of the astute readers can spot a Photoshop hatchet job a mile away. One of the axioms of photography used to be: “crap in, crap out”, meaning that if you took a crappy photo, no amount of post processing could save it. Unfortunately, or fortunately, today’s software is so good, and the pixel count in the cameras so high, that even a crappy photo can be cropped to be made to look good.… Read more »
My god that’s a beautiful shot. She’s an absolute goddess. And not just for her looks and body but the smarts, toughness, innovation, intelligence, emotionally groundedness, the whole package!! I hope she keeps swimming into her 40’s, she can bring her babies to the meet like Dara Torres did. 😉
Swimmers have the best bodies.
Nice(and hot) body, Natalie!