Mugabe rewards Zim medallist

Print article

email story

Related Articles

* Zim medallist hopes to inspire

* Red carpet for Zim pool star

* Zim swimmer wins gold

Harare - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has awarded Zimbabwean swimming gold medal winner Kirsty Coventry a diplomatic passport and $50 000 "pocket money" to use in the United States where she is a student.

Coventry won Zimbabwe's only medals so far at the Athens Olympics, bringing home a bronze, a silver and a gold medal.

"She did us proud. Well done golden girl, may God lead you in the future because you are one with us, we are together," said Mugabe on Wednesday night.

Coventry's medals are the first Zimbabwe has won since its women's hockey team won gold in the 1980 Moscow games.

About 2 000 people at Harare airport met the 20-year-old swimmer when she returned home from Athens on Wednesday.