OMAHA — The night was more hectic and emotional than Natalie Coughlin had expected.
First, she broke the world record in the 100-meter backstroke for the second consecutive day, becoming the first woman to swim it in under 59 seconds, with a winning time of 58.97. Forty-five minutes later she received her gold medal, and 10 minutes after that she was back in the pool for a semifinal of the 200 individual medley, the event she had refused to enter since 2000.
Coughlin won her heat in 2 minutes 11.72 seconds, the third-fastest qualifying time, behind Katie Hoff (2:09.94) and Ariana Kukors (2:10.85).
The result sets up a spirited final Wednesday night. Coughlin says she is approaching it with less trepidation after qualifying for her second Olympic team in spectacular fashion.
“I feel like a huge weight has been lifted; now I have to focus on the rest of the meet and enjoy it,” said Coughlin, who was also the first woman to break one minute in the 100 backstroke.
In the backstroke, Margaret Hoelzer took second at 59.21, edging Hayley McGregory for the final Olympic berth. McGregory, who held the world record for less than five minutes Monday morning before Coughlin took it back, finished in 59.42.
Coughlin, who swam in Lane 5, crossed over McGregory’s lane to hug her friend Hoelzer in Lane 3.
“I’m really glad I stamped my ticket to Beijing,” said Coughlin, who won Olympic gold in the 100 backstroke in 2004. “I’m just glad I got it over with.”
Coughlin had avoided the individual medley since the 2000 trials, when she went in as one of the favorites and emerged traumatized after finishing fourth.
“Is there baggage around the 200 I.M.? Yes,” said Teri McKeever, Coughlin’s coach.
Coughlin lost that baggage with two eye-popping swims this season, finishing in 2:10.88 at a meet in April, then posting the third-fastest time in history (an American-record 2:09.77) last month at the Janet Evans Invitational.
“I knew for the past year or so that I’d definitely do the 100 back and freestyle,” Coughlin said. “I only really considered doing the 200 I.M. about a week ago, when too many people told me I should be doing it, and I gave in. I’m using this event as kind of a contingency plan.”
Coughlin easily advanced from the medley preliminaries Tuesday morning with the second-best qualifying time, 2:12.21, behind Hoff’s 2:12.02.
“Honestly, I think that she’s probably surprised by that, in a pleasant way,” McKeever said.
The national team coach Mark Schubert was not. “Every coach in this country knows Natalie’s best event is probably the 200 I.M.,” he said.
Schubert was one of the people hoping Coughlin would overcome her medley phobia, although he said he understood her reluctance.
“She was a young swimmer,” Schubert said. “There were a lot of expectations. It was just a huge disappointment for her. I think she’s kind of shied away from it since. And I think she doesn’t want anything to take away from the 100 back, which is her signature event. But I think she’s getting more and more comfortable with the idea. I think her and Teri are really working on it.
“I’m just very excited that she’s contemplating doing this event,” he added. “I’ve always felt for years that she’s the best in the world at it.”
Eager to know what Coughlin was thinking, Schubert said he spoke to McKeever after the Janet Evans Invitational.
“I called Teri to congratulate her, and kind of felt Teri out about what was going on,” he said. “Teri said Natalie was excited as well. That kind of helped Natalie decide to swim it here.
“I think the decision is still up in the air whether she wants to make that leap for Beijing. But I think if she has success here, my prediction is that she will do it.”
Link:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/02/sports/olympics/02swim.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
