Irish America magazine - Oct/Nov '08 issue: The Legacy of the San Patricios Lives On , Stars of the South, The Legal 100, Roots: The Mighty Mahers, All Hail The Humble Spud! , Music: Still Fiddlin’ Away , The Real Bill , The Battle over Ulysses, Broadway's Irish Colleen
Two
of our Top 100 alumni, Natalie Coughlin and Kara Lynn Joyce, played major
roles in the success of the U.S. women's swimming team at the Beijing
Olympics.
Coughlin was one of the golden girls of the team when she won the 100m
backstroke, successfully defending the title she won in Athens in 2004 and
becoming the first woman ever to repeat in that event. In a grueling week
taking part in six events, she captured six medals (a record for an American
woman at one Olympics) – one gold, two silver (in the 4x100m medley relay
and 4x100m freestyle relay) and three bronze (in the 100m freestyle, 200m
individual medley and 4x 200m freestyle relay).
“It’s pretty amazing,” Coughlin said after her final race. “I came here
entered in six events and I wasn’t sure how I’d deal with the workload. I
couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
These successes bring Coughlin’s career Olympic medal count to eleven,
building on the five she won in Athens. She needs only one medal in London
in 2012 to match the record of twelve swimming Olympic career medals, a
women’s record held by teammate Dara Torres and former Olympian Jenny
Thompson.
An Irish America Top 100 honoree in 2005, Natalie boasts Irish connections
on both sides of her family. Her mother’s family, the McFaddens, come from
Donegal, and her father’s side, the Coughlins and the Corcorans, hail from
counties Cork and Limerick. Her grandfather played football for Notre Dame.
Another contributor to the women’s medal haul was Kara Lynn Joyce who won
two silver medals along with Coughlin in the in the women’s 4x100m freestyle
relay and the women’s 4x100m medley relay. Joyce grew up in a competitive
household and began swimming out of desire to beat her brothers, Sean and
Kevin. At age 18 Kara made her Olympic debut at the 2004 Games in Athens,
winning two silver medals in the 400 free and 400 medley relays. She also
holds three American records as part of the U.S National team, including the
short course (25) 400m freestyle relay, 400m relay and long course 400m
freestyle relay.
A 2004 Irish America Top 100 honoree, Kara has a strong connection with her
family and Irish heritage. Her ancestors came from Ireland to the U.S. in
the pre-famine emigration. There is even a window at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
in New York that was donated by one of Kara’s ancestors, William Joyce.
Coming back from a bout with mono in 2007 that threatened her Olympic hopes,
Kara certainly finished strong. – Bridget English
Two
of our Top 100 alumni, Natalie Coughlin and Kara Lynn Joyce, played major
roles in the success of the U.S. women's swimming team at the Beijing
Olympics.