Coventry thinks of homeland

2008-08-12 11:00

Beijing - Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry captured her second silver medal of the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday and said she hoped her performance brought some cheer amid the tension in her homeland.

"Oh my gosh, people back home are so excited. I have been getting cards and text messages," Coventry said.

She won a full set of Olympic medals in Athens, claiming gold in the 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m back and bronze in the 200m individual medley.

She was feted as a hero in her homeland, and while she makes her training base in the US, she said she was happy to carry the expectations of Zimbabwe, which has been in crisis since this year's disputed elections.

Tight race in the medley

The swimmer said: "I'm getting a really good reception from the people back home.

"I try not to think about it too much other than as a positive thing to get people excited back home.

"It doesn't feel like pressure...it feels like an opportunity to get people excited and happy, to give them something to enjoy."

Coventry was predicting a tight race in the 200m medley, which will include Americans Coughlin and Katie Hoff as well as world record-holder Stephanie Rice of Australia.

"The 200m individual medley will be super close, there are some big names in there," she said.

- AFP