2008 Getty Images

Natalie Coughlin at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

03/08/10

A great shock to her system.

That’s how Natalie Coughlin chose to describe her return to the pool at last week’s 2010 Austin Grand Prix.

In three days, Coughlin competed in three swimming events and in doing so swam her first race and notched her first victory since winning six medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It may have been quite a jolt, but the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center proved to be a productive setting for the two-time Olympian’s highly anticipated return.

“I think just getting back into it is the main shock,” Coughlin’s coach Teri McKeever said in a phone interview Sunday night. “There were a lot of people there. It was challenging for a number of reasons. … I’m really pleased. This is a great place for us to start evaluating.”

Things began Thursday with the 100-meter butterfly at the Austin Grand Prix. Coughlin stood behind the blocks, her hands resting on her hips. With Cal Aquatics teammate Dana Vollmer on one side and Olympic silver medalist Christine Magnuson on the other, she took several deep breaths. If Coughlin’s nerves were starting to betray her, it’s easy to understand why.

It had been 18 months since Coughlin had done this. Indeed, the last time she found herself in such a position, Olympic medals were on the line. Nearly two years ago, Coughlin used the Water Cube in Beijing as a backdrop for history, becoming the first American woman to ever win six medals in one Olympics and cementing her place in swimming lore.

And now she was using the Austin Grand Prix as the place to take a key step in her incremental journey forward.

Coughlin, who recently signed a contract extension with Speedo taking her through the 2012 London Games, finished third in the 100 butterfly in 58.94 seconds. The swim was just 1.5 seconds off her personal best.

“She’s happy with where she is, and so am I,” McKeever said. “We know there is work to do. I think she did really well for someone who hasn’t been in a competitive meet for 18 months. That’s what I was impressed by. To be out that long and go back and be very smart in her racing preparation, that’s much different than training.”

More encouragement followed in the 100 backstroke, Coughlin’s signature event. Despite a turn she later described as “awful,” the two-time defending gold medalist posted a winning time of 1:01.08. She wrapped things up the following day by finishing second in the 100 freestyle in 54.71.

“I was worried that I wouldn't final in any of my races here,” Coughlin told the Austin American Statesman. “I couldn't be happier with my swims right now.”

No doubt, the lengthy respite had a lot to do with that. Coughlin has never been solely defined by her exploits in the water, and stepping away from the sport, said McKeever, is “the only way she could keep going.”

Coughlin used the time to explore other ventures, finding a new appreciation of the paso doble during a recent run on “Dancing with the Stars” and serving as a guest judge on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” 

“She didn’t sit on the couch,” McKeever said. “It’s not like she took a break from being fit and eating the right things and taking care of her body.”

She also took a wintertime trip to Australia, where the comeback began in earnest. Coughlin joined friend and former Cal teammate Micha Burden, and for nearly two weeks, they engaged in various kinds of ocean swimming training. It was an eye-opening reintroduction, and Coughlin sometimes used her Twitter page to document her experiences.

“Feel like I've been hit by a truck,” she wrote. “Distance swim this morning, followed by a track workout. Nursing my body, then a beach workout this pm.”

And later: “Oh dear, really exhausted. Had a 2hr pool workout, coffee break, then straight to a beach workout. Getting my butt kicked but it's great! :)”