Olympic Swimmers Natalie Coughlin and Dara Torres - Not Too Shabby!

With the close of the 2008 Olympic pool swimming events, Michael Phelps moved into a whole new world of athletic achievement. Gold medals, total medals - and he should still have at least one more Olympics in him.

Not to be overlooked are some other US swimmers, like Natalie Coughlin (6 medals in the 2008 Beijing Games gives her 11 all-time Olympic medals) and 41-year old Dara Torres. Dara has moved up to a tie for second (with another swimmer, Jenny Thompson) for all time medals won by US athletes at the Olympics, not to mention the most Olympic games with a medal - 5! Do you think she will try for 2012? I say go for it!

ALL-TIME MEDALISTS – USA
No. Name Year(s) Sport G-S-B
16 Michael Phelps 2004, 2008 Swimming 14-0-2
12 Jenny Thompson 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 Swimming 8-3-1
12 Dara Torres 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2008 Swimming 4-4-4
11 Mark Spitz 1968, 1972 Swimming 9-1-1
11 Matt Biondi 1984, 1988, 1992 Swimming 8-2-1
11 Carl Osburn 1912, 1920, 1924 Shooting 5-4-2
11 Natalie Coughlin 2004, 2008 Swimming 3-4-4
10 Gary Hall, Jr. 1996, 2000, 2004 Swimming 5-3-2
10 Carl Lewis 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 Track & Field 9-1-0
(Photo of Dara Torres with her 12th Olympic medal by Al Bello/Getty Images)