ZIMBABWE’s swimming superstar Kirsty Coventry continued with her impressive form at the ongoing African Games in Congo Brazzaville after romping to victory in her specialised 200m backstroke event to complete a stunning tripple three-peat across all the backstroke races.
BY HENRY MHARA
Coventry clocked 2:13:29 for pole position, to edge out South African rival Karim Prinsloo (2:13:41) who she also beat in the 100m backstroke event earlier this week. The 31-year-old also won the 200m backstroke event at both the 2007 and 2011 versions of the meet.
The 100m win was her third consecutive African Games triumph in the event, having claimed gold in the 2007 and 2011 editions of the Games. She holds the 100m backstroke African Games record with her 1:00.86 performance from 2011. Coventry also still sits as the 200m record-holder in 2:10.66.
Friday’s win was her third gold medal at this year’s event, which totals to 14 gold medals she has won in three editions of African Games she has competed in. Her African Games individual medal career tally is now at an impressive 20.
On Wednesday, Coventry teamed up with James Lawson, Tarryn Rennie and Sean Gunn in Zimbabwe’s 4x100m medley relay team and won a bronze medal in a time of 4:00.78.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s athletics team is expected to kickstart their campaign at the Kintele Stadium with the likes of national decathlon record holder Keegan Cooke, sprinters Kenneth Chibwana, Rodwell Ndlovu and Francis Zimwara all expected to be in in action tomorrow.
The trio of Olivia Chitate, Constance Nyasango and Annah Bungu will also take part in the women’s 5 000m race tomorrow.
Zimbabwe’s two representatives in judo, Lazarus Arufandika and Sydney Chibwayi will be in action in Talangai town which is located in northeastern Brazzaville on Monday.
