Coughlin calls time on Rio quest

A philosophical Natalie Coughlin said Friday she won't swim the 50m free at the US Olympic trials, officially ending her quest to earn a 13th Olympic medal in Rio.

"My focus going into this meet was the 100 back and 100 free and the 50 free was like a bonus," Coughlin said. "I wasn't going to have a best time, I knew that."

Coughlin, won 100m backstroke gold in 2004 and 2008, finished last in the 100m back on Tuesday and failed to make the final in the 100m free.

She won't get a chance in Rio to break out of a tie with fellow swimmers Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres, the trio whose 12 medals apiece make them the most decorated US women Olympians.

"I've definitely been off for a few months and I can't put my finger on it," Coughlin said. "I really don't know why. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.

"I was right on my lifetime bests last year in both the 100 free and 100 back, I'm really happy with what I've been able to accomplish the last few years.

"That momentum for whatever reason didn't continue forward."

But the 33-year-old insisted she wasn't pulling the plug on her swimming career.

"I'm not announcing my retirement or anything like that," Coughlin said. "It has been a part of my life for a majority of my life. My husband's a swim coach, I've been at Cal for 16 years ... it will always be a part of my life. I don't really see the point of saying that it's over because it'll always be there."