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Kirsty Coventry

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
SWIMMING legend Kirsty Coventry yesterday made a sensational U-Turn and announced that she will be hoping to make a final participation at Olympic Games by taking part in the Rio showcase in Brazil in 2016. Coventry had kept the nation guessing on whether she could be aiming for Rio or not.
The most celebrated Zimbabwean Olympian found the going tough at the last Olympics in London last year in what seemed to be her swansong Games.

She failed to win a medal of any colour as age cought up with her with younger swimmers from such countries like China and Australia breeezing past year.

However, yesterday the 29-year-old revealed to the world that she will be in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and has already began working on the process that will build up to her participation in 2016.

Posting on her Facebook page, Coventry said she has found support from a local mobile phone operator, Econet Wireless and Arena International to ensure she focuses on the her goals.

“I will be competing at Rio2016 Olympics. This Olympics will be about how far I can push myself – it will be about finding the next level.
“To do this, I need to be confident. I am confident.

“We have already started building the ultimate team to assist me in getting to that next level.
“Econet Wireless and Arena International have given me their support and will help ensure I can focus on my goals,” wrote Coventry.

The swimming icon also announced her team of coaches to help her achieve her goal and appealed to her fans to continue supporting her as she sets her eyes on her fifth Olympic Games.

“My coaches are David Marsh (head coach at SwimMac Team Elite) and Kim Brackin (personal coach: 2004, 2008, 2012 Olympics).
“I will be based in Charlotte, North Carolina and training with the swimmers at SwimMac Team Elite. I have purposefully surrounded myself by this team because they believe in me and together we will get there.

“To my family, friends and fans, you have supported me for my last four Olympics and I have won seven Olympic medals. Support me in my 5th Olympics and lets see what happens…,” said Coventry.

Coventry first made her appearance at the Olympic Games in 2000 at the age of 16 and reached the semi-finals in the 100m backstroke to become the first Zimbabwean swimmer to achieve such a feat. She went on to compete at the 2004 Olympics in Athens Greece and won a gold medal in the 200m backstroke and a silver and bronze in the 100m backstroke and 200m Individual medley respectively.

In 2008 she was in Beijing, China for her third Olympic Games and scooped four medals – gold in the 200m backstroke, three silver medals in the 200m individual medley, 100m backstroke and 400m individual medley.

But by the time Coventry takes part in the Rio Olympics, she will be 33 years old and she will have to push herself much harder to win through from the heats and dream of an eighth medal. During her campaign in London, Coventry faced stiff competition from younger and faster teenager swimmers like United States’ Missy Franklin and Ye Shiwen from China.

At the moment Coventry sits on the International Olympic Commitee’s Athletes Commission.
However a reality check of the current trends in swimming shows that Coventry would have to move mountains if at all she is to bow out of swmming on a high as the Olypmics are games for athletes who willbe at their peak, soemthing the Zimbabwean icon reached at the 2004 and 2008 events.