Natalie Coughlin: Veteran Star Will Make Major Impact in Lone Olympic Event

Natalie Coughlin is trying to join Dara Torres and Dana Thompson, who each earned 12 medals, as the most decorated U.S. female Olympian. She comes into the 2012 London Olympics with 11 career medals in swimming (three gold, four silver and four bronze). Since Coughlin turns 30 soon, this will likely be her last Olympics.

The 4x100-meter freestyle will be the only event she competes in since she did not qualify for any individual events at the team USA Olympic Trials. She finished in sixth place in the 100-meter freestyle which is how she became eligible to participate in the relay.

U.S. women's swimming coach Teri McKeever said that Coughlin will swim in the preliminaries of the 4x100-meter relay, and the team will be reevaluated for the finals. Coughlin would earn a medal if the team earns one even if she is not in the finals.

Coughlin will also make an impact regardless of whether she is on the team that swims in the finals. By swimming in the prelims she will save another swimmer on the team from having to compete in multiple events and help increase the probability for more Team USA medals.

Also, her Olympic experience will help her be a leader and mentor as she passes the torch to the future of American women's swimming. The younger athletes will be able to learn from her past experiences as well as observe how she goes about her business during the event. Coughlin was voted one of the two team captains along with Rebecca Soni by her teammates.

Even if she falls short of her Olympic medal dream she will always remember her contribution to the 2012 US Swimming video tribute to "Call Me Maybe."

Jamal Wilburg is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.

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