'Mr. Church': A competently made melodrama ( Review, Rating )

NK Latest, Film: "Mr. Church"; Director: Bruce Beresford; Cast: Eddie Murphy, Britt Robertson, Natascha McElhone, Xavier Samuel, Lucy Fry, Christian Madsen, McKenna Grace; Rating: ***

"Mr. Church" is a competently made film that is sometimes emotionally affecting. Though, the story - "Inspired by true friendship," is cliched, the film is largely elevated by the credible performances of its lead pair.

It is a tale of love and bonding between the Brooks and Mr. Church, a kind hearted man.

Narrated from Charlotte Brook's point of view, the story begins in 1971 Los Angeles, when one fine day, as a 10 year old, she finds a stranger in her kitchen, rustling up breakfast for her mother, Marie and her.

The stranger, Mr. Church, is apparently the hired cook for the Brooks, who was bequeathed by Richard, Marie's rich and already married, deceased lover.

The narrative graph is predictably formulaic. Charlotte who is also referred to as "Charlie," initially dislikes Mr. Church and gradually she accepts him. He is her friend and father figure, who she depends upon. And how, over a period of time roles reverse, forms the crux of the film.

The script written by television veteran Susan McMartin, in her maiden film credit, has narrative leitmotifs that add style and spirit to the narration. It is this style along with the performances that salvage this weak, stereotypical tale that is burdened with overtly, sugar-coated characters and run-of-the-mill dialogues.

Eddie Murphy in an author-backed role as the mysteriously compassionate "Mr. Church" is genuinely effortless. He breaks his mould of a comedian in this emotional drama and is a treat to watch. His restrained act with a dignified charisma elevates his character. But his mysterious track coupled with his flaws, over a period of time becomes an irritant factor and it further gets aggravated during the denouement.

Natalie Coughlin as the young Charlie, mesmerises us with an impressive performance. She shines while displaying her blunt dislike for Mr. Church or when she internalises her pain. She lays the foundation for Britt Robertson who seamlessly plays the older Charlie. Robertson too is striking as she delivers a flawlessly delicate and mature performance in depicting the various shades of her character.

The others in supporting roles too essay their roles effectively and leave an impact. Notable among them are Xavier Samuel and Lincoln Melcher as the older and younger Owen - Charlie's love interest, Lucy Fry and Madison Wolfe as the older and younger Poppy - Charlie's only friend in school, Natascha McElhone as Marie - Charlie's terminally ill mother and McKenna Grace as Izzy - Charlie's young daughter.

Technically, the film fits into the groove of Director Bruce Beresford's portfolio. He had earlier given us "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Double Jeopardy" and he does nothing to break the mould.

Overall, "Mr. Church" is a pleasant film that touches a raw nerve, once too often. It may appeal to you if you are a sucker for melodramas.

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Why Olympian Natalie Coughlin says swimming is anything but ‘boring

Being a champion doesn't mean winning every race. It's also about character, bouncing back from setbacks, and continuing to move toward your goal. Natalie Coughlin, 33, is a 12-time Olympic medalist, three of them gold, but didn't make the cut for the Rio Olympic Games in August.

"I'm bummed I'm not going to Rio, but it is what it is," Coughlin said recently, adding that she is not using the word “retiring.” "So, I've always approached my goals with the intensity of controlling what I can control and letting everything else go. And then if I stumble or if I don't achieve that goal, I evaluate what happened, what could I have done better and then move forward.”

Are pool workouts the next big thing? Swimwear giant Speedo is banking on it

Coughlin has the emotional discipline befitting a champion but, of course, also the physical discipline. She gets up at 4:15 a.m., has breakfast, and is warming up by 5 a.m. for a day at the pool that includes stretching, Pilates and yoga in addition to ab, back and shoulder work. Here, she chats with us about other winning habits, including her diet and mindful swimming.

Was being a competitor instilled in you since childhood?

It was just naturally there. I was just a born competitor. I was always just über-competitive with everything that I did. I did gymnastics at an early age, even just playing games with my friends. My parents recognized that and steered me toward athletics and I found what I was best at was swimming.

What’s your philosophy toward a sport with so many ups and downs?

If I had any sort of mantra it’s just, “Trust in the journey.” Swimming and athletic goals -- it’s a very long process and it could be trying on your patience. But you just have to have faith in your coach and faith in the process, and just kind of enjoy the ride.

Swimming is pretty solitary. What are you thinking about during all those laps?

I think people sometimes look at swimming as “It’s so boring”… [But] It’s a great way to let the rest of the world disappear and for you to get with your own thoughts and your own body, and really just be mindful… If someone wants to just kind of reflect on their day that’s great but because I’m [training]… I am really, really focused on everything that I’m doing at that second and not worrying about what happened earlier that day or what’s going to happen later that day.

Food! What do you eat? 

I make a smoothie that I take with me to the pool … it’ll have almond milk, almond butter, Chia seeds, frozen dark cherries, half of a banana and some Greek yogurt. It’s a really good way to get some good quality protein in and then you get all those wonderful antioxidants from the cherries that help repair your muscles and fight inflammation…That’s more of a recovery smoothie. If I was going to have a smoothie before practice or as a snack I usually do a green smoothie with kale, parsley, celery, frozen pineapple, banana, lots of lemon juice and lime juice. It’s just an easy way to get a lot of vegetables in a sitting without having to eat a giant salad… My diet isn’t too restrictive. I’ll never say ‘gluten free’ or ‘sugar free,’ or anything like that. But I do focus primarily on plants, so lots and lots of fruits and vegetables. And then, really good quality protein. So, I eat a lot of fish and poultry, but that doesn’t mean I don’t eat steak or anything. I try not to be too restrictive… I have counted calories in the past and it just makes me insanely neurotic.

Recovery is so important. How do you get it done?

Getting plenty of sleep … getting downtime in between training, fueling your body well with good food and then taking care of your body by seeing either a physical therapist or a massage therapist. You can foam roll or just stretch at home, little things like that. It’s truly amazing how much they pay off.

Pooling her weight: Stevens takes dead aim at Olympics

Lexington grad Hannah Stevens (third girl from the left) huddles with her University of Missouri teammates on the pool deck. Stevens heads for the Olympic Trials as a strong contender for a spot on the Olympic team in the 100 meter backstroke.

Barely two years removed from Lexington High School, Stevens has put herself in serious contention for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro later this summer with her performance earlier this month in Indianapolis.

Having already earned a spot on the U.S. National Swim Team last summer with one of the nation's top six times in the women's 100 meter backstroke, Stevens said she used the Arena Pro Swim Series event in Indy as a tuneup for the U.S. Olympic Trials at the end of this month.

Tuneup? There's an understatement.

Stevens, a junior at the University of Missouri, broke 1 minute for the first time in her career in the prelims and then lowered it in the finals, where it took the fastest time in the U.S. this year to overtake her in the final 30 meters. Olivia Smoliga from the University of Georgia won in 59.41. Stevens finished in 59.67, second-fastest in the U.S. this calendar year and ninth-best in the world.

If you watch the USA Swimming video of the race, and have followed Stevens' career from the Greater Mansfield Aquatic Conference to the Ohio Cardinal Conference to the Southeastern Conference, the call of the race will give you chills.

"At the turn," the announcer said, "it is Hannah Stevens ... just a tenth of a second off world record pace."

World record pace.

"I wasn't expecting that," Stevens said of her performance, "but I was pretty pumped when I did it."

Stevens is coming off a sophomore season for Mizzou where she won three All-America honors at the NCAA Championships. She swam on the school's sixth-place 400 medley relay and was also a member of the 10th place 200 free relay. She was unhappy with her 14th-place performance in the 100 back despite a personal best 51.60 at the championships, but Missouri coach Greg Rhodenbaugh said where she finished in her specialty doesn't begin to tell the whole story.

"What we had her do there was pretty outstanding," Rhodenbaugh said. "She swam more than any other girl (four relays, as well as the 100 and 200 back) because she also swam freestyle. She didn't get to swim backstroke on our medley relays because she was swimming freestyle on the end of them. So we used her pretty hard and she did it for the team and the team ended up with our highest place ever in the NCAAs, 11th. So she was a huge factor in that.

"She was a little disappointed in her 100 back at the NCAAs, but she knew she was pretty used up, energy-wise."

Stevens, modest to a fault, wouldn't tell you that. Or that she swam on three relays before competing in the 100 back.

"I was definitely frustrated," Stevens said. "Last year, I ended up 21st in the world and then going into the NCAAs I was seeded 20th. It doesn't make sense to me, but I know who I am, I know what I need to be doing. So I can't let myself get down. I have to keep my head focused."

Rhodenbaugh pointed out that Stevens, who has also qualified for the Trials in the 200 back, is now able to concentrate almost entirely on the 100 back. That can make a world of difference along with only having to make one turn swimming long course (50 meters). College events, like high school, are short course (25 yards), so there are more turns to complete the race.

"Walls slow me down and everybody can catch up, but long course I can beat the college kids," Stevens said. "It's give and take. If you're good at walls, you have an advantage in short course. Looking at video, you could see where I was losing speed going in and out of walls. So a 50-meter pool doesn't affect me as much.

"I have a strong stroke, so when I pull the water I get into a rhythm and I'm able to hold it and stay tough the entire race."

Four years ago, when Missy Franklin was the 17-year-old darling of the London Olympics, winning four gold medals, including the 100 and 200 back, Stevens was just entering 11th grade at Lexington. She hadn't yet earned state meet MVP honors for coach Melisa Stone-Watters, let alone a second time for coach Brock Spurling.

She never envisioned being one of the biggest threats to Franklin in the 100 back, bidding for one of two Olympic berths in the event. The Trials are being held in Omaha, Nebraska, with the 100 back prelims and semifinals on June 27 and the finals on June 28. The 200 back will be staged July 1 and 2.

"I never imagined being where I am now," Stevens said. "I'm going in to make the team. I'm thinking it will take 59 low, if Missy's not on. And she hasn't really been on the last two years. I don't really see anyone breaking 59 right now. Maybe Olivia has the best chance. I think it's anybody's game in the top six right now."

Franklin set a U.S. record in the 2012 Games of 58.33. (The world record is 58.12). But her best qualifying time for these Trials is 59.38, less than .3 faster than Stevens. Franklin began struggling with back spasms in 2014 and since then has improved mostly in freestyle, while stagnating in backstroke.

But it's hard to bet against a swimmer who, when she's at the top of her game, is arguably the best female swimmer in the world.

Rachel Bootsma, the other Olympic qualifier for the U.S. in 2012 at age 18, hasn't bettered her 59.10 from London since, but won NCAA titles in 2015 and 2016 and can't be dismissed.

The fastest American this season and last has been 33-year-old Natalie Coughlin, biding for her fourth Olympic team. Her qualifying time of 59.05 is just a tenth off her career-best, when she won her Olympic gold in the 2008 Beijing Games.

Two teens, Claire Adams, 18, and Kathleen Baker, 19, have times just ahead of Stevens. Adams briefly held the junior world record last summer, going 59.58 at the U.S. Nationals. Baker has four sub-minute swims to her credit.

Hannah Stevens (Photo: University of Missouri)

"I don't think anybody can really figure out who's going to win or be the (second qualifier)," Rhodenbaugh said. "It's going to be two of six to eight girls and I will certainly say Hannah has put her name in that mix.

"She swims at a pretty high level all the time, just about every day at workouts. So even her bad workouts are pretty good. We didn't expect her to break a minute by that much (at Indy), but we certainly thought it was a possibility because she's gotten very good."

Stevens said the key now is to get plenty of rest and maintain both speed and mental sharpness.

"Instead of three walls (turns), there's one and that can make or break your swim," she said. "If I have a bad wall, everybody gets ahead. If I have a good wall, I stay with the crowd."

Or, her fan club hopes, ahead of it.

"It's funny what we do," Rhodenbaugh said, speaking for his coaching peers. "We try and watch people and see how they would do in our system and program. I certainly thought Hannah could be really competitive on a national level, and as a coach you certainly hope they believe that, and when they do, this is what happens.

"When they believe it, they come in every day and work their fannies off. And that's certainly true of Hannah. She does the little things outside the pool she needs to do because she is really passionate about figuring out just how far she can go. When you get people like that, you get people like Hannah."

It's easy to tell Rhodenbaugh is quite fond of Stevens.

"Certainly when we recruit people to Mizzou, we want people we think can be competitive at the national level and, really, at the top of the national level, and I think that's happened for quite a few people in our program," he said. "Now when people come in, they have that culture that 'Yeah, I'm the next one to bust out.' Certainly that's Hannah who has done that. It's kind of fun when you have a lot of people like that and they help each other to that level."

Rhodenbaugh has qualified a sizable contingent of swimmers for the Trials.

"I never know what people are going to do," he said. "I know they're going to get a whole lot better and they're going to be competitive on the national level ... and I'm getting used to them being competitive on the international level, too.

"Hannah's the next one in that discussion."

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TOP CONTENDERS

Here are the 8 top times in the women's 100 meter backstroke going into the Olympic Trials:

(Place, time, name, age, team, location, date)

1: 59.05, Natalie Coughlin, 33, California Aquatics, Pan American Games, 7/18/15

2: 59.38, Missy Franklin, 21, California Aquatics, Summer Nationals, 08/06/14

3: 59.41, Olivia Smoliga, 21,  Athens (GA) Bulldog Swim Club, Arena Pro Swim Series, 06/04/16

4: 59.58, Claire Adams, Claire, 18,  Carmel (Ind.) Swim Club U.S. National Champs, 08/07/15

5: 59.63, Kathleen Baker, Kathleen, 19, Unattached, FINA World Championships, 08/03/15

6: 59.67, HANNAH STEVENS, 21, U of Missouri, Arena Pro Swim Series, 06/04/16

7: 1:00.10, Ali Deloof, 22, U if Michigan, AT& T Winter Nationals, 12/04/15

8: 1:00.25, Rachel  Bootsma, 22, University of California, Berkeley, AT& T Winter Nationals, 12/04/15

Meet the Athlete: Natalie Coughlin

Natalie Coughlin, a 12-time Olympic medalist in swimming, could be wrapping up her spectacular career at the Rio Games. 

The 33-year-old is tied with Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres for the most all-time medals by a female American swimmer. 

Rio will be her fourth Olympic Games appearance. 

Coughlin said after the London Games didn't go as well as planned, she completely changed her training dynamics. 

MIRANDA HECKMAN BREAKS COUGHLIN RECORD AT FAR WESTERNS

Pleasanton Seahawks swimmer Miranda Heckman came away from this past weekend’s Far Westerns with five records and seven overall victories. The fourteen year old took one very special name in particular off the board:Natalie Coughlin. Coughlin was still the meet record holder from 1997 in the 1650, with a time of 16:38.44. Although Coughlin is known as more of a sprint specialist now, she was one of the most versatile age group swimmers of all time in her day.

Heckman swam 16:28.51 to clear that time. She also scored record breaking swims in the 200 free (1:47.65), 500 free (4:44.09), 1000 free (9:50.84) and 400 IM (4:15.91). Her other event wins came in the 100 free (50.23) and 200 IM (2:05.21). The 100 free was nearly a record as well, as the current mark stands at 50.19.

Her performances put her more than thirty points ahead of the next swimmer in her age group for high point. She won that category with 77 points. 

Junior National teamer Maxime Rooney also made an appearance at the meet. He won the 50 free (20.84), 500 freestyle (4:26.84), and 200 fly (1:44.94). Rooney has a strong history at this meet, with records all over place in the younger age groups.

Kennedy takes 10th in 100 free at Arena Pro Series in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 15 – With the U.S. Olympic Trials just a few months away, American swimming hopefuls are working hard to get prepared. Seventy members of the U.S. national swimming team, including Avon’s Madison Kennedy, are in Austin this weekend for the second leg of the Arena Pro Swim Series.

Racing began Friday at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center at the University of Texas.

Among the competitors are three-time Olympian Natalie Coughlin and 2012 Olympic champions Missy Franklin, Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps and Ryan Locthe.

Kennedy, 28, is scheduled to swim in three events. She competed Friday morning in the 100 freestyle. She was seeded 13th in the field and finished 14th in qualifying with a time of 55.59 seconds, earning a spot in the B final where she was 10th with a time of 54.78.

Coughlin finished ninth with a time of 54.40 seconds. Katie Ledecky was the top American in second place with a time of 53.75 seconds. Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrum, 22, won the race in 53.12 seconds.

Kennedy is scheduled to swim in her best event – the 50 meter freestyle on Saturday morning. She is the No. 6 seed in the field with a time of 24.71 seconds. There are three international swimmers ahead of Kennedy, which makes her the third seeded American.

On Sunday, she is scheduled to compete in the 100 meter back stroke, where she is seeded 73rd.

Phelps, an 18-time Olympic gold medalist who is attempting to make his fifth U.S. Olympic Team, is the top seed in the men’s 100 and 200 butterfly, and 200 individual medley. Eleven-time Olympic medalist Lochte will battle Phelps in the 200 IM and 100 fly, among other events. He is seeded second in the 200 IM.

Franklin’s planned events include the women’s 100 freestyle and 200 backstroke, where she is the second seed. She is the third seed in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

A webcast of the complete meet will be available at usaswimming.org. It will also be broadcast on Universal Sports Network, which isn’t available on any Connecticut cable networks.

The series provides the nation’s best swimmers the opportunity to face top-flight competition on U.S. soil.

Sarah Sjostrom Just Misses 50 Free U.S. Open Record in Austin

Arena Pro Swim Series editorial coverage is proudly sponsored by Arena USA. Visit ArenaUSA.com for more information on our sponsor. For all the latest coverage, check out our event coverage page.

Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom blasted her way to victory in the women’s 50-meter free at the 2016 Arena Pro Swim Series Austin.

Sjostrom nearly captured her third U.S. Open record with a 24.17.  That swim beat her third-ranked season best from last year of 24.20.  It nearly beat Cate Campbell’s U.S. Open mark of 24.13 from 2008.

SwimMAC’s Madison Kennedy turned in a sizzling time of 24.72 for second, but looked slow compared to Sjostrom in the other lane.

SwimMAC’s Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace placed third overall with a time of 24.84.

HPCO’s Chantal Van Landeghem (24.92), Canyons’ Abbey Weitzeil (24.93), California’s Farida Osman (24.95), France’s Anna Santamans (25.05) and HPCO’s Sandrine Mainville (25.47) placed fourth through eighth.

California’s Natalie Coughlin won the B final in 25.19. Teammate Dana Vollmer took second in 25.24 with Sweden’s Therese Alshammar earning third in 25.38.

                           === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Sjostrom, Sarah  22 Sweden              25.14      24.17 OLY    
  2 Kennedy, Madiso  28 SwimMAC Carolina    25.03      24.72 OLY    
  3 Vanderpool-Wall  25 SwimMAC Carolina    25.15      24.84 OLY    
  4 Van Landeghem,   21 Hpc-Ontario         25.26      24.92 OLY    
  5 Weitzeil, Abby   19 Canyons Aquatic     25.06      24.93 OLY    
  6 Osman, Farida    20 Univ California,    25.18      24.95 OLY    
  7 Santamans, Anna  22 France              25.20      25.05 OLY    
  8 Mainville, Sand  23 Hpc-Ontario         25.38      25.47 OLY    
 
                            === B - Final ===                            
 
  9 Coughlin, Natal  33 California Aquat    25.67      25.19 OLY    
 10 Vollmer, Dana    28 Una Cal             25.62      25.24 OLY    
 11 Alshammar, Ther  38 Sweden              25.42      25.38 OLY    
 12 Martin, Ivy      22 Wisconsin Aquati    25.46      25.48 OLY    
 13 Gates, Melissa   25 Trojan Swim Club    25.80      25.55 OLY    
 14 Gastaldello, Be  20 Texas A & M Univ    25.62      25.61 OLY    
 15 Geer, Margo      23 Tucson Ford Deal    25.78      25.73 OLY    
 16 Williams, Miche  25 Hpc-Ontario         25.66      25.77 OLY

USA Swimming’s 2015 AT&T Winter National Championships set for Dec. 3-5

A number of Olympic champions, including Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.), Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) and hometown favorite Nathan Adrian (Bremerton, Wash.), are expected to highlight the field at number of Olympic champions, including Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.), Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) and hometown favorite Nathan Adrian (Bremerton, Wash.), are expected to highlight the field at USA Swimming’s 2015 AT&T Winter National Championships, set for Dec. 3-5 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Tickets are on sale now for the three-day event, which consists of daily prelims at 9 a.m. PT and finals at 6 p.m. PT, on Thursday, Dec. 3 through Saturday, Dec. 5. Tickets can be purchased online now with all-session passes costing $60 for adults and $45 for children 12 and under. Single-day and single-session tickets also are available.
In addition to Adrian, Franklin and Phelps, fellow individual Olympic gold medalists Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif.), Anthony Ervin (Valencia, Calif.), Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill.) and Allison Schmitt (Canton, Mich.) also are expected to compete in Federal Way.
In total, more than 40 USA Swimming National Team members are among the approximately 700 swimmers slated to swim at AT&T Winter Nationals.
A live webcast of the entire meet will be available via usaswimming.org, and NBC will televise action from AT&T Winter Nationals on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 1-2 p.m. ET. A full order of events for the long-course meters competition is available at usaswimming.o, set for Dec. 3-5 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

Tickets are on sale now for the three-day event, which consists of daily prelims at 9 a.m. PT and finals at 6 p.m. PT, on Thursday, Dec. 3 through Saturday, Dec. 5. Tickets can be purchased online now with all-session passes costing $60 for adults and $45 for children 12 and under. Single-day and single-session tickets also are available.

In addition to Adrian, Franklin and Phelps, fellow individual Olympic gold medalists Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif.), Anthony Ervin (Valencia, Calif.), Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill.) and Allison Schmitt (Canton, Mich.) also are expected to compete in Federal Way.

In total, more than 40 USA Swimming National Team members are among the approximately 700 swimmers slated to swim at AT&T Winter Nationals.

A live webcast of the entire meet will be available via usaswimming.org, and NBC will televise action from AT&T Winter Nationals on Sunday, Dec. 6 from 1-2 p.m. ET. A full order of events for the long-course meters competition is available at.

Natalie Coughlin: The Perfect Swimming Idol

When asked who my favorite swimmer was when I was little, with no hesitation, I would answer Natalie Coughlin.

She’s strong. She’s powerful. She’s fast.

She has been one of America’s leading female swimmers for years now. She qualified for every event at summer nationals when she was 16 years old. She was the first woman to break a minute in the 100m backstroke. Not only has she embraced and helped the sport of swimming evolve, she has also given back to the sport and been a strong and powerful leader for young swimmers to look up to.

Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

Coughlin, born in Vallejo, California, started swimming at a very young age. Dedication, passion, and success in the sport allowed her to continue her career at the University of California-Berkeley. At Cal, she won 12 NCAA titles. Today, she still has her name on the record board in multiple events including both backstroke and butterfly races, and the 100 freestyle.

In addition to her decorated college career, Coughlin has had much success internationally and while representing Team USA. Her list of accomplishments is quite lengthy. To cover a few, she won the gold medal in the 100m backstroke at the 2004 AND 2008 Olympic Games. In 2010, at the Pan Pacific Championships, she won the gold medal in the 100m freestyle and contributed to the first place finish of the 400m freestyle relay. At World Championships in 2013, Coughlin aided in the success and victory of the 400m freestyle relay once again.

However, when I look at Coughlin, I don’t focus solely on her swimming accomplishments. I believe Coughlin is more than a swimming idol. She’s an inspiration to young girls through her body confidence. She promotes a healthy lifestyle. She shows the world that she loves swimming but she also has other interests too– an important concept for all swimmers to understand.

Photo Courtesy: JD Lasica

Coughlin addressed “body image” in an interview with ESPN magazine. She noted that, “There were times when I wasn’t happy with my body, but I always knew that I was really fit and that it was what allowed me to be successful in the pool.”

Embracing her body allowed her for more success in the pool. This is a hard concept for many female athletes to understand. However, Coughlin’s confidence and ability to discuss the topic has encouraged many other swimmers to do so too. Coughlin has successfully shown young athletes that a healthy body is the best type of body by voicing her interest of food and a healthy cooking.

Follow her on social media and you’ll see how much she loves her food! In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Coughlin expressed that she “took a cooking class and started reading food magazines and books and watching food shows on TV.” She grows a lot of her vegetables at home and makes nutritious meals to fuel her body. Natalie Coughlin has used her hobby and love of cooking to become more successful in swimming. She has shown young swimmers the importance of eating right.

Outside of swimming and training, Coughlin also gives back to communities and causes she feels strongly about.  Her involvement with charities such as  the David Andrew “Pooh” Foundation,  Right to Play, and the Edible Schoolyard Project show her generosity. Coughlin’s ability to support charities and be an influence on others in and out of the pool makes her a great role model. She’s not just an idol swimmer, she’s more. Her speed and success made her my favorite swimmer when I was little. The positivity and energy that radiates from her in everything she does explains why she is still my favorite swimmer to this day.

Coughlin could retire from the sport of swimming at any point and still be considered one of the best swimmers in history. However, she continues to train and continues to inspire young athletes.

Photo Courtesy: Swimming World Magazine

Cal Swimming Well Represented on 2015-16 Team USA Roster

BERKELEY - Team USA should have a decidedly blue and gold tone to it as the 2016 Rio Olympics draw nearer with Tuesday's announcement that 16 swimmers with Cal ties will be included on the U.S. 2015-16 National Team roster.

On the men's side, 2015 NCAA and Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year Ryan Murphy leads a four-man contingent of current Bears on the team, making the squad in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke. Senior Josh Prenot, a three-time Pac-12 champion in the 400 individual medley, is listed for the 200 breaststroke as well as the 200 and 400 individual medley, while fellow senior Jacob Pebley made the team in the 200 backstroke. One of the newest Bears, freshman Andrew Seliskar, landed a spot in both the 200 butterfly and 400 individual medley.

Joining the current Bears on Team USA's roster is a quartet of alums that certainly doesn't lack for international recognition. Gold medalists Nathan Adrian and Anthony Ervin are back, with Adrian in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle and Ervin in the 50 freestyle. Fellow Bear alums Tom Shields (100 and 200 butterfly) and Will Copeland (100 freestyle) also made the list, which is achieved by a swimmer ranking in the top six in the United States in events from Jan. 1 to Aug. 10.

For the women, three of Team USA's most familiar stars will bring their Berkeley ties back for another run at Olympic hardware. 12-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin is on the roster once again in the 50 and 100 freestyle as well as the 100 backstroke as she points toward a trip to Rio.

By her side will be three other alumnae, including four-time gold medalist Missy Franklin, the reigning NCAA Swimmer of the Year, Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year and Honda Cup winner as the nation's top female student-athlete. She’s listed in the 100 and 200 freestyle as well as the 100 and 200 backstroke and is one of only three swimmers to earn a spot in four events.

Another former Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year will also join the team as Caitlin Leverenz secured a roster spot in both the 200 and 400 individual medley. Leverenz won bronze in the 200 IM at the London Olympics. In addition, Madison Kennedy gained a place on the list in the 50 free. Cierra Runge, a freshman for the Bears last season who is taking this year off from school to train for the Olympics, made the team in the 400 freestyle.

The Bears have much to be excited about when it comes to the future as well, with three incoming freshmen also on Team USA's roster – Kathleen Baker (100 backstroke, 200 IM), Amy Bilquist (50 freestyle), and Katie McLaughlin (200 freestyle, 100/200 butterfly).

NATALIE COUGHLIN OPEN TO ADDING 100 BACK TO OLYMPIC TRIALS LINEUP

Natalie Coughlin won her 60th international medal Saturday night leading off the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, coming close to her personal best in the 100 back.

At the touch Coughlin was a 59.05 which is the fastest she’s been since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It’s also the fastest she’s been in her career in the event outside of the 2008 Olympic Trials and 2008 Olympic Games. With her best time sitting at 58.94, she was just just 11 one-hundredths of a second off her most impressive result.

“I knew that I could be close to my best in the 100 back,” said Coughlin.

Prior to this, the first woman to ever go under one-minute in the 100m backstroke hasn’t swam a fully rested 100m backstroke since the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, China.

“I was really excited to [swim the 100m backstroke] because with the pro series format, the 50 free was always right before or right after the 100 back so I was never really able to swim it this season.”

In the last chapter of Coughlin’s storied career she dropped the 100m backstroke from her schedule in order to focus on the 50 and 100m freestyles. Slowly but surely, Coughlin is growing more and more open to adding the backstroke to her program once more, “as long as it doesn’t overlap with any other events I would love to add it to the format,” said Coughlin.

Coughlin is gaining momentum as she heads towards the 2016 U.S Olympic Trials where she will attempt to qualify for her fourth Olympic team. There, she’s not shying away from the thoughts of once again racing the 100m backstroke, and possibly going after a third 100 back Olympic gold, “In the Olympic format 100 back, 100 free, 50 free, that plays out pretty nicely.”

After a 53.85 100 freestyle that was the fastest Coughlin has been since 2010, and a 24.66 personal best in her 50m freestyle, Coughlin’s focus will still be the sprint free events heading into 2016.

“I will still continue to focus on freestyle, mainly the 100, but also train backstroke and hopefully race it more.”

Luvo Announces World Champion Swimmer Natalie Coughlin as Brand Ambassador

The Luvo Company Welcomes One of the Most Decorated Female Olympians of All-time and Food Enthusiast to the Team, Natalie Coughlin

Luvo Inc., a forward-thinking frozen food company that offers chef-inspired, nutritionist-approved meals made from high quality ingredients, announced today that World Champion and Olympic gold medalist swimmer Natalie Coughlin has joined the team as the company’s newest brand ambassador.

A 12-time Olympic medalist and 20-time World Championship medalist, Coughlin is an avid believer in the importance of healthy foods and active lifestyles. Coughlin will support Luvo in its mission to bring consumers affordable, nutritious frozen meals made from wholesome ingredients that taste great and provide energy for wherever life’s adventures may lead.

“Proper nutrition is one of the most important elements to achieving peak performance, not only in athletic competition but in life. However, I know from years on the road in collegiate and professional swimming that the healthy choice is not always easy to find, or the one you have time to make,” said Coughlin. “That’s why I’m thrilled to be working with Luvo, to educate people on the benefits of healthy eating and provide them with meal options that have compelling flavors, don’t skip on nutrition, and are ready to eat within minutes.”

Coughlin, 33, is the most decorated female swimmer in World Championships history and is one medal shy of becoming the most decorated American female Olympic athlete in history. Coughlin is featured on the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s 2015 Body Issue which hit newsstands this July, discussing her record setting career, focus on nutrition and eating quality foods, and training to continue to compete at the highest level. At the Pan American Games, Coughlin took home four medals, set two meet records and posted two top-10 times in the world this year.

While Coughlin has become a household name from her performance in the pool, she has also been a champion for promoting the importance of living an active lifestyle, and works with organizations or has been on the board of Right to Play, Edible Schoolyard, MOVE and Women’s Sports Foundation. Coughlin also has a love for cooking, having competed on the Food Network’s Chopped, prepared some of her favorite recipes on the Today Show and Rachel Ray and served as a guest judge on Super Chef Battle: An Iron Chef America Event.

“From her record-setting swimming career, it was clear that Natalie shares the same drive to reach new goals, as we do here at Luvo. But it was her genuine joy for cooking and understanding of the importance of nutrition to fuel our bodies, that made this relationship such a perfect fit,” said Christine Day, Chief Executive Officer at Luvo. “We are honored to welcome Natalie to our team and look forward to working together to inspire a movement, for better health, better taste and better lives.”

Coughlin joins an elite team of brand ambassadors. Led by Brand Development Officer, Derek Jeter, as well as recently announced ambassador Russell Wilson, quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, Luvo’s ambassador program isn’t your average sponsorship deal. Jeter, Wilson and now Coughlin are all investors in the Company and believe in its commitment to make nutritious and delicious food accessible to everyone.

Luvo offers a wide range of globally inspired entrees, pizzas, and burritos at major retailers throughout the nation, including Haggen, ShopRite, Kroger, Meijer, HEB, Publix, Safeway and more. Luvo is also available on select Delta Air Lines flights and online at Amazon.com. For more information on where to buy Luvo in your local area please visit: luvoinc.com/where-to-buy.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us atnewsmaster@swimmingworld.

Yes, frozen TV dinners can be healthy, says swimmer Natalie Coughlin

The Olympian is the latest athlete to endorse Luvo, a company that promises to make frozen entrees healthy.

Professional swimmer Natalie Coughlin has a no-nonsense approach when it comes to her Olympic-level diet: avoid anything extreme. Eat fresh foods and while you are at it, perhaps try some frozen food made by Luvo.

That last bite may seem a bit unusual, but the 12-time Olympic medalist is the latest athlete to place a bet on startup Luvo’s bid to more aggressively tackle the frozen-food aisle. Luvo, led by former Lululemon CEO Christine Day, is angling to sell a wide range of pizzas, burritos, and other entrees with fresher ingredients than what is typically found in that area of the grocery store.

It is a message that is resonating with some top athletes. Along with Coughlin, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and retired New York Yankees baseball player Derek Jeter are working with the startup. All three are also investors. Terms of those financial agreements haven’t been disclosed.

“They’ve all chosen to take a stand against childhood obesity and they won’t partner with the [soda] industry in particular,” said Day. “It is a big step for them to walk away from those endorsement contracts.”

All three are taking on a big challenge. Sales of frozen entrees, a more than $10 billion industry in the U.S., have dropped for three consecutive years. Grocery shoppers have turned to fresh foods that are found around the perimeter of the store. Observers say frozen foods have faced competition from ready-to-serve meals that grocery stores prep and sell at their retail locations, essentially generating in-store competition for the frozen meals category.

Coughlin describes herself as a passionate “foodie,” with her culinary interests going all the way back to her early college years at the University of California, Berkeley, where Coughlin grew herbs on her fire escape and learned more about cooking. Throughout her swimming career, Coughlin said she worked with a number of nutritionists and dietitians with varying degrees of success. Today, she touts a method she says is simple and makes sense: eat a ton of fresh foods, including fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains.

“I try to stay away from the fads and go with logic,” the Olympian tells Fortune.

The 33-year-old says Luvo’s menu is full of healthier foods that she hasn’t seen in the frozen-food aisle before. And she’s already incorporating some of the meals into her diet. Coughlin is a big fan of Luvo’s vegetable bibimbap, which she adds eggs to for extra protein for her swimming training.

On a personal level, Coughlin said Luvo has helped her eat more meals in the afternoon – key to her training. She said in the past, she found it difficult to cook a full meal between her morning and afternoon training sessions.

Because Coughlin has invested in Luvo, she also plans to back the brand on social media, where she has 112,000 followers on Twitter and 138,000 on Instagram. Coughlin will also contribute to Luvo’s blog, where she hopes to help readers learn tricks to enhance their Luvo entrees in unusual ways. The frozen meals are available at grocers, such as Kroger  KR -2.05%  and Amazon 

Happy Birthday - August 23 - Natalie Coughlin, Demetrio Albertini, Kobe Bryant

American swimmer Natalie Coughlin is an institution in her sport, not just in the United States but across the globe.

Coughlin, who turns 33 today, was the first-ever woman to go under one minute in the 100m backstroke in a long course pool and she did it 10 days before her 20th birthday back in 2002.

At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, she became the first US female athlete in modern history to win six medals in one Olympics, and the first woman ever to win a 100m backstroke gold in two consecutive Games.

Her total tally of 12 Olympic medals ties her with Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres for the most all-time medals by a female swimmer.

Coughlin’s success has earned her the World Swimmer of the Year Award once (2002) and American Swimmer of the Year Award three times (2001, 2002 and 2008).

1971: Demetrio Albertini, Italian ex-footballer who was an AC Milan hero in the ‘90s. Played for Italy in two World Cups (44).

1978: Kobe Bryant, American 17-time All-Star NBA player, who has been an LA Laker since 1996 (37).

1979: Edgar Sosa, Mexican boxer who is the former WBC Light Flyweight Champion (36).

1988: Olga Govortsova, Belarusian tennis player, who hit a career-high ranking of 35 in 2008. Now world No70 (27).