| 14.08.2008 |
World records and gold medals normally go hand in hand but for the luckless Coventry, her record-breaking form is landing her only silvers.
"I'm getting sick and tired of getting silver," Coventry said after being pipped by Australian Stephanie Rice on Wednesday in the 200 individual medley. Both dipped under Rice's world record of two minutes, 8.92 seconds.
It was the third time United States-trained Coventry had swum fast enough to break world records at Beijing and missed out on the gold.
She finished behind Rice in the 400 individual medley with both again going under the old world record, while she broke the 100 backstroke world record in the semi-finals only to take silver behind American Natalie Coughlin in the final.
"It's a little heartbreaking," added Coventry, who was affectionately called "Golden girl" by Zimbabwe's controversial president Robert Mugabe after winning gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
"Everyone's goal is to win a gold medal. It's going to be hanging over my lane every time I dive in."
However, the plucky 24-year-old is determined to hear her country's national anthem after her next event, the 200 backstroke.
"I'm going into the backstroke with a vengeance," she said. "But going into it as defending champion, there's a little pressure."
Zimpacific Sports: |
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08.09.2010