'Blame the swimming coaches'

2008-08-25 22:03

Adnaan Mohamed

Singapore - The South African swimming team's coaches must take the blame for the squad's poor performances at the Beijing Olympic Games, says Zimbabwean star Kirsty Coventry.

In an interview with Die Burger, Coventry explained how she had won one gold and three silver medals while South Africa's swimmers, despite the benefit of a superior infrastructure, failed to win a single medal.

Everything came down to preparation and how hard swimmers were prepared to work, the 24-year-old Coventry said.

"I understand all the South Africans did better in the evening events but they had been informed a year before the Games that the finals would be held during the morning.

"Everyone knew a year ago we were going to swim during the mornings, so there can be no excuse.

"The coaches should have taken it into consideration and should have prepared their swimmers accordingly.

"If they did not, the swimmers cannot be blamed," the Zimbabwean said.

"I started doing all my hard training during the morning more than a year ago to be mentally and physically prepared. It paid off for me."

Compete against the best

Coming from Zimbabwe, where facilities and competition were lacking, it had made sense for her to go to the United States, she explained.

"I have been based in Austin, Texas, for eight years. The main benefit is that one can swim in top competitions every week. Of course, it helps to compete against the best in the world."

Coventry does not have much contact with the SA swimmers who are based in Arizona. "I see them from time to time and we are good friends but we attend different colleges," she said.

She was 15-years-old when she swam in the Sydney Olympics in 2000. In Athens, four years later, she won gold, silver and bronze medals.

"I was very young when I went to the Games for the first time. But it helped me a lot just to see how experienced swimmers operated."

Competing at the Olympics can be an intimidating experience. The young South African swimmers should not be disheartened after Beijing, she said.

"The Olympic experience would have helped them build character and confidence. Hopefully they learnt a lot and will do better in London in 2012."

Swimmers from almost all countries improved on their performances in Beijing and the times "were unbelievably fast", she added.

"The new swimsuits and training methods were the two main reasons for the fast times."

- Die Burger