Roboon: Is Coventry in Zimbabwe a European immigrant?

Basic information

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Name: kirsty coventry.

Gender: Female

Nationality: Zimbabwe

Birthday: 1983 September 16

Height:1.73m.

Weight: 66 kg

Event: swimming (backstroke)

Training experience

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Coventry 1983 September 16 was born in a white middle-class family in Harare, Zimbabwe. Both parents have little to do with competitive sports, but both attach great importance to their daughters' studies. I hope she can study abroad and receive higher education in the future. Coventry, who is active by nature, fell in love with swimming from primary school, and soon stood out in this landlocked African country that lacked the foundation of swimming. In 2000, Coventry, a high school student aged 17, was unexpectedly selected for the Olympic team. She took part in the 50m freestyle,100m freestyle and100m backstroke in one breath, and no one was optimistic. As a result, only 100m backstroke reached the semi-final with the score of 1:03.05, and was blocked from the final with the score of 1:02.54. Although she is the first swimmer in African history to swim into the semi-finals, such a performance, which is better than "focusing on participation" but not enough to win all the gold and silver, is obviously destined to be ignored and forgotten soon.

Fortunately, Bole is always here: Auburn University in Alabama, USA sent her an admission notice and offered her a scholarship, which made her and her parents very happy: the former found the soil to fully tap her swimming talent, while the latter realized her dream of letting her daughter go abroad for further study.

The study and training life in America is hard and tight. According to her characteristics of good endurance and coordination, but weak explosiveness, the experienced coach of Auburn University decisively advised her to give up too many concurrent events and specialize in medley and backstroke. During these three years of systematic training, many of her technical defects and bad habits have been well corrected. In 2003 and 2004, she was selected for the school team to participate in the NCAA swimming championship, and her performance was not outstanding. Although Zimbabwe, which lacks swimming talent, still chose her to join the Athens Olympic team, not many people are optimistic about her. Only she and her coach believe that this moment is coming.

Athens won the gold medal.

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In the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Zimbabwe sent three swimmers just to eat a duck egg. This time, they just sent two swimmers: male swimmer Brendan Ashby only participated in the 100 meter backstroke, and last time he participated in four events in Coventry, he only reported 100 meter, 200 meter backstroke and 200 meter individual medley.

Incredibly, Coventry rushed into all three finals in one fell swoop, which was a historic scene for African swimmers. Just as the media machine began to make a big report on this African girl who made history, a new miracle was born: she won medals in all three finals: 100 meter backstroke silver medal (1 0.51), 200m backstroke gold medal (2 minutes 09 seconds 19), and.

Coventry's gold medal is the second gold medal won by Zimbabwean athletes since 1980 became independent. The first Olympic gold medal was won by Zimbabwe national hockey team after 1980 defeated the former Soviet hockey team.

On the evening of August 25th, 2004, Zimbabwean President robert gabriel mugabe held a celebration reception for Coventry, the gold medal winner of the women's 200m backstroke in Athens Olympic Games, and presented her with a diplomatic passport and a prize of US$ 50,000.

State continuation

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As Coventry and her coach expected, she really reached the harvest season: in 2004 and 2005, she won four consecutive gold medals in the NCAA swimming championships, was elected to the College Swimming Coaches Association, won the SEC Best Swimmer and Best Female Athlete Award in 2004-2005, and won the Honda Award in 2005.

Her good state continues: at the 2007 Melbourne World Championships, she won silver medals in the 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley, and even won four gold medals at the Nishino International Swimming Invitational Tournament in Japan. She said that she would participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and complete four events (65,438+000m, 200m backstroke, 200m and 400m individual medley). It seems that the play is still good.

Brilliant record

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2004 Athens Olympic Games gold medal in 200m backstroke, bronze medal in 200m individual medley and silver medal in100m backstroke;

In 2005, he won the World Championships 100 meter and 200m backstroke champion, and the 200m and 400m medley won the second place.

In the 2007 World Championships, he won the second place in the 200m backstroke and 200m medley.