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BEIJING (AP) -- The winner of the most medals both in Beijing and four years ago in Athens is no surprise. But do you know who was second?
Some hints: It's the same runner-up in 2004 and 2008. And it's a woman. She's from the United States. A swimmer, like Natalie Coughlin.
No, she's not the one from Phelps' hometown of Baltimore. That's Katie Hoff, who gets a lot of attention but doesn't have many medals to show for it.
This gal is pure fulfilled potential: 11 events, 11 medals; the five she won in Athens topped by the six she just won in Beijing.
So, Natalie Coughlin, congratulations on a great Olympic career -- even if most Americans have been too fascinated by Phelps to notice.
"He deserves every ounce of respect and admiration and attention that he gets because what he's doing is incredibly phenomenal," she said of Phelps. "I am not jealous one bit.
"Being his teammate for so many years, you get desensitized to how amazing he is. I think many years down the road, me and the other members of the team will realize what an incredible performance he put on for everybody here."
But Coughlin did, too.
The six medals she won are the most by an American woman in any sport, breaking the record she tied four years ago. Her career total matches the third-most by any U.S. athlete. Among women in overall medals, she trails only Dara Torres and Jenny Thompson, each with 12. No wonder her grandpa was going around Sunday telling reporters, "There's more to this meet than Michael Phelps!"
"But I didn't do what Michael did," Coughlin said. "I mean, it's something I'm incredibly proud of, but it was never a goal of mine to be the most-decorated female swimmer or anything like that. I'm very happy with the six medals I have. Hopefully I'll get some more in London."
She threw out 2012 as a given, but also made it clear that's a long way off.
Dara Torres helps carry the U.S. to a silver medal in the 4x100 relay.
"Her immediate plan is to give her mind and body a well-deserved vacation. She's looking forward to traveling a lot, hoping "to enjoy all these places that I've been to for swim meets and never seen anything but the pool and hotel."
Her 2009 agenda includes a honeymoon in Hawaii, a trip to Bali for a friend's wedding and time in Rome for the World Championships -- strictly as a spectator.
"I think I forced myself to get back in too early after Athens. Pretty much all of '05 was, 'What am I doing here?'" she said. "I had a real lack of motivation. The first practice, I want to be excited about. By staying physically in good shape and staying away from competition I think I'll shoot back fast."
She's serious about remaining fit, planning to swim several times a week and do lots of running.
"I've got my wedding coming up, so I want to be in good shape," she said, laughing.
Coughlin opened these Games with a silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay, then moved up to gold in her first individual event and her specialty, the 100m backstroke. She became the first woman to win it at two straight Olympics, but had no time to savor it. She had to swim the semifinals of the 200 individual medley, the new event added to her schedule.
Still, having aced her best race was a relief.
"It took a lot of pressure off me for the rest of the meet," she said.
Coughlin got bronze in the IM, then again in the 4x200 freestyle relay and the 100 freestyle. On Sunday, she, Torres, Rebecca Soni and Christine Magnuson took silver in the 4x100 medley relay, the last event of the meet.
Her tote board: A gold, two silvers and three bronzes, joining the two gold, two silvers and bronze she won in Athens.
"I remember leaving Athens, I was like, 'Wow, I don't remember that,'" Coughlin said. "I was just overwhelmed with the entire experience. I think that gave me a bit of an advantage (this time). I did make a conscious effort to stay present, in the moment."
And into the record books.
