Swimsuit

Natalie Coughlin Exudes Confidence in These 6 Bodypaint Pics

The 12-time Olympic medalist sported a painted-on swimsuit for the issue in 2012.

Cara O’Bleness

Natalie Coughlin

Natalie Coughlin was photographed by Kayt Jones in a New York studio.

When she posed for the 2012 SI Swimsuit Issue, competitive swimmer Natalie Coughlin was in her element. She participated in a unique bodypaint photoshoot that allowed her to model a beautiful painted-on blue monokini swimsuit, courtesy of makeup artist Joanne Gair.

The 41-year-old California native is a 12-time Olympic medalist for the U.S. women’s swimming team, having participated in three different Olympic games. She first competed in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, where she took home five medals, before earning six more in Beijing in 2008. Her 12th medal, a bronze, was acquired during the London Olympics in 2012, the same year she posed for the annual issue.

Today, the athlete has opted to pursue passions outside of the swimming pool, as the cofounder of Gaderian Wines, a winery based in Napa Valley, Calif.

“I think it’s healthy to have the images of athletes out there, and especially female athletes,” she told BuzzFeed about how female athlete’s bodies are often portrayed in the media. “With all these eating disorders that young kids have, and looking up to these unattainable celebrity movie-star bodies or plastic-surgery bodies, it’s nice to see what hard work and dedication and living a healthy, active lifestyle can do. I think it’s important to portray female athletes in an attractive way, just so that young girls and other women can see that healthy is beautiful, and it’s not only about being stick-thin—it’s about being athletic and healthy.”

Wise words from Coughlin, indeed. Today, we’re throwing it back to a few of our favorite snapshots from her bodypaint feature, captured by Kayt Jones.

Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin
Natalie Coughlin

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Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.

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