adminbroke her own record to win the women’s 100m backstroke event at the National Olympic Swimming Pool last night.
The serial World and Olympic champion splashed her way to victory with a new Games record time of 1.00.86secs that earned her country a second gold medal at the ongoing sports extravaganza following the one she brought on Monday in the 400m Individual Medley event.
Coventry, who turns 28 on the 16th of this month, tore to shreds the previous record of 1.01.28 that she set in Algeria four years ago when winning the same event. She described yesterday’s achievement as “special.”
“It is a special moment for me as it shows I have regained my form. It is also good for my country as it pushes Zimbabwe up the medals table. I hope to continue doing my best,” she exclaimed, shortly after emerging from the pool.
Although her finishing time was slower than her world and Olympic record of 58.77 that she set in Beijing in 2008, Coventry proved she is still the queen of the waters by outpacing hot South African contender Karin Prinsloo to the podium.
The South African came home second, pipping surprise packet Jessica Vieira who landed the first-ever swimming medal for hosts Mozambique in international waters by taking the bronze.
Coventry was not finished just yet. The South African-based goldfish was back to seize the spectators’ attention when she exhanged batons with Kirten Lapham, Nicole Horn and Samantha Welch in the 4x100m freestyle to grab the second silver medal by the relay team which was the third for Team Zimbabwe.
It added to the two accolades won by Horn in the 200m freestyle and the relay team in the 4x200m freestyle.
At close of day, Zimbabwe had stretched their accolades to two gold and three silver medals, all from the swimming code, with Coventry returning to the pool today to deal with her 200m IM and the 200m backstroke finals.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s star-studded netball side has a chance to redeem themselves from the setback they suffered at the hands of a gutsy Botswana on Tuesday when they play South Africa in their third group encounter at Munhuana grounds this afternoon.
LATEST MEDAL TABLE
| COUNTRY | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE | TOTAL | |
| 1 | South Africa | 11 | 7 | 12 | 30 |
| 2 | Egypt | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | Tunisia | 4 | 7 | 3 | 14 |
| 4 | Senegal | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| 5 | Algeria | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 |
| 6 | Zimbabwe | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 7 | Kenya | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Cameroon | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 9 | Botswana | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 10 | Nigeria | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Mali | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Namibia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Congo | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 14 | DRC | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | Mauritania | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Online Reporter