Natalie Coughlin knows a few things about how to qualify for the Olympics in the pool.
The 41-year-old retired swimmer is a three-time Olympian with 12 medals, putting her in a three-way tie for the most Olympic medals won by an American woman. Not to mention she was also the first American woman to win six medals at a single modern Olympic Games in 2008.
But unlike the Olympics themselves, trials are a different psychological game and require an altered approach and mentality, Coughlin explained. Relays aside, only the top-2 swimmers in each event go to the Games.
Coughlin is now on the board of directors for USA Swimming and co-hosts the NBC Sports podcast My New Favorite Olympian. Ahead of 2024 U.S. Olympic trials, she shared three pieces of advice for swimmers looking to make Team USA’s roster.
U.S. swimming trials begin Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and after the nine-day event, up to 52 swimmers will be off to Paris.
“First and foremost, don’t get ahead of yourself,” Coughlin told For The Win. “Take each session, each swim, one at a time. If you’re someone who’s going to compete in multiple events over the trials, it’s easy to look at [the schedule and say], ‘I have prelims there, then semis here, then finals here,’ and really get overwhelmed looking at the entire week.
“You have to take it race by race, hour by hour, and really try not to look ahead too much because that could be too daunting.”
Coughlin — whose Olympic events included the 100 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 200 IM — also emphasized the importance of recovery and swimmers babying themselves a little more, including extra massages and plenty of stretching and relaxing, along with staying extra hydrated.
“Secondly, just know that you’re not gonna get any fitter,” she continued. “All the work is already done. All you have to do is rest at this point.”
And then, swimmers need to recognize and prepare for how grueling trials can be, especially for swimmers trying to qualify in multiple events. It requires a “difference in psychological preparation,” especially if a swimmer’s lifelong dreams could be made or broken in a single race, Coughlin said.
“Acknowledge that this is a brutal meet,” she said. “Knowing and accepting that and knowing that you are someone who is tough and who is ready for that challenge and facing it head-on.
“Trials is truly a brutal, brutal, brutal meet for everyone involved. Whether you make the team or don’t make the team, it’s hard. And just accepting that and facing that head-on, I think, is really important.”
Three pools. One NFL Stadium. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 #𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗺𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀𝟮𝟰.
Action takes place June 15-23 in @LucasOilStadium and on @NBCOlympics to decide the U.S. Olympic Swim Team this summer.#SwimTrials24 | https://t.co/FLouSBuUuN | @teamusa pic.twitter.com/b54uVUqIVI
— USA Swimming (@USASwimming) June 5, 2024
With just the top-2 swimmers in each trials event going to the Olympics — assuming they also meet the Olympic standard — personal-best times take a backseat to everything else.
“All that matters is you get first or second,” Coughlin continued. “And that, in a lot of ways, is so much harder than just straight up competing when you get to the Olympics.
“Because when you’re at the Olympics, it’s just pure racing. … But when the Olympic trials is just a stepping stone along the way and it’s just a hurdle that you need to get past, it doesn’t really matter how great you do at trials — just as long as you get past them. And that’s just a different mental approach, in my experience, at least.”
Coughlin pointed to one of her former teammates, four-time Olympian Amanda Beard — a swimming legend in her own right with seven medals — who had a devastating but apt way of describing Olympic trials.
“She once described it as, ‘The Olympic trials pool is filled with chlorine and tears,'” Coughlin recalled laughing. “And that’s such a great image because it’s so true. People are crying because they’re sad, crying because they’re relieved — it’s a lot.”
