Twelve-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin has decided to scratch the 50 free, her final event of the 2016 Olympic Team Trials.
“I’ve decided to pull out of the 50 freestyle,” she said during a press conference at the close of Friday morning’s prelims. “You know, it’s a difficult decision because you train for so many hours to get to this meet and to get to that stage, which is hopefully the Olympics.”
She clarified that this decision to pull out of the 50 free after missing the Rio Olympic team in the 100 free and 100 back is not a decision to retire.
“I’m not announcing my retirement or anything like that,” she said. “It means I’m not going to the Olympics… It will always be a part of my life, and I don’t really see a point in saying ‘it’s over’ because it will always be there.”
When asked why she was pulling out of the 50 free, she said that she would rather watch her teammates and friends swim.
“My focus going into the Trials was the 100 back and the 100 free…” she said. “I wasn’t going to have a best time. I knew that, and I’d rather cheer on my team.”
Coughlin feels that, although she has had an incredible year and past four years, she just wasn’t on top of her game coming into the Trials.
“I’ve definitely been off for a few months. I’ve definitely been tired and not been able to get myself out of the hole, but it’s not for lack of working hard…” she said. “But I don’t look at the past four years as wasted time or anything, I’ve had lifetime bests in the past year… I’m really happy with what I was able to accomplish over the past few years. That momentum just wasn’t able to continue forward.”
She reiterated that swimming will always be part of her life.
“I will definitely continue to swim because I love it, and I can’t imagine myself not being fit and not being healthy.”
Good riddance. Took spots from girls last year and would have wasted a spot this year also. Adios
You are a Cal Bear & you are 3 time USA swimmer heart & sole. I am so proud of you & who you are as a person & as a great swimmer ????????????????????????????????????????
Still so proud of you !! Go Team USA !!
So proud of you Natalie!!
Natalie, you’re a class act and have always been. It was hard to watch your interview. My heart was breaking for you. I realize swimming has offered you so many opportunities but they have not been without hard work and determination on your part. I know that whatever you decide to do with the next chapter of your life, you will give it the same 110% that you give to every aspect of your life. We love you and wish you the very best. Uncle George and Aunt Lynn
Rats – she has inspired so many of the years. She could have made today a big deal, announcing retirement, etc, but that might distract her team. Something tells me she has a lot more to her than being one of the greatest American woman swimmers. Good luck Natalie!
Watching the mature swimmers at these trials handle their slipping performance is revealing. Natalie addresses this with humility and class. It is a logical question for a reporter to ask if she is retiring, and her answer is equally reasonable. But to think one solution is to enter Masters Swimming might miss the distinction. I swam at a high level in college. After the obligatory few years off, I returned to Masters and still at 58 years old enjoy the fitness and competition, but it is not the same intensity of victory vs defeat.
Masters all compete in mixed age groups based on entry time only (except for Nationals which have enough entries to also be mostly grouped by… Read more »
Was it the prunes? I are all my nice home dehydrated batch once —great for the red nutrients but ……2kgs of dried plums are waaaay too easy to eat.