Zimbabwe: Swimmer Coventry Wins Gold

16 August 2008
allAfrica.com

Zimbabwe's swimmer, Kirsty Coventry, took Olympic gold on Saturday when she won the 200m women's backstroke race.

She beat Margaret Hoelzer of the United States, setting a new record of 2:05.24s. It was Coventry's first gold medal at this year's games - she already has three silvers.

"I'm so thrilled," China's official Xinhua news agency quoted her as saying. "I'm excited to hear the national anthem play and for everyone back home to hear it."

Her feat reinforced Zimbabwe's place as Africa's top medal-winner in Beijing. It was the continent's second gold medal of the games - Ethiopian runner Tirunesh Dibaba won the women's 10,000-metre race on Friday.

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