Kirsty Coventry leaves to train in the USA

Kirsty Coventry will be moving to the USA to train for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Having spent a lot of time in the USA already during her career, she has chosen to move to Charlotte, North Carolina for very specific reasons and arrives 8 July 2014.

‘I know that I needed to swim against the best in order to be my best. As a result, I have decided to make the move to Charlotte, North Carolina, where I will be training with some of the best swimmers in the world under SwimMac Team Elite.’

Coventry is the top current individual Olympic female swimmer in the world with seven individual Olympic medals (2 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze). This is an extraordinary achievement considering she comes from a landlocked country in Africa, Zimbabwe where participation and achievement at such a prestigious level is usually just a dream.

Coventry made the decision to train under Coach David Marsh (SwimMac Team Elite) when she announced that she would compete at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

‘This will be my 5th Olympic Games and I need to make sure I train with the best. SwimMac Team Elite has an amazing coaching staff and a group of great swimmers. These guys are all going to be responsible for getting me to where I need to be and at the same time, I will be responsible to get them where they need to be – its a team effort and I’m excited to get to Charlotte and play my part.’

Coventry is tied 2nd in the World (with Ryan Lochte) to Michael Phelps, according to the number of individual Olympic swimming medals they hold. Lochte also trains with the SwimMac Team Elite under Coach Marsh and swims the same events as Coventry.

Coventry explains how excited she is to get to Charlotte but it doesn’t come without anxiety:

‘I haven’t been to Charlotte and I have no idea what to expect. I know that to do well, you have to get out of your comfort zone and that is where I’m headed. As anxious as I am, I would not be doing this if I wasn’t sure and it helps knowing I have an awesome team waiting for me when I get there.’

Coventry was recently elected onto the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC is a very prestigious organization responsible for creating the Olympic platform from which athletes can showcase their talents at the largest sporting event in the World. Coventry sits on a number of commissions: Athlete’s Commission; Olympic Solidarity, World Anti-Doping Agency and Coordination Commission for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

‘Swimming has always been a focus of mine but I need other responsibilities outside of swimming to ensure that I fully extend my capabilities. I am committed to ensuring the Athlete’s voice is heard on the IOC and that the IOC continues creating a platform at which the Athlete is always at the forefront.’

This may very well be Coventry’s last Olympic Games but she doesn’t want to think about that.

‘I don’t want to say that Rio 2016 will be my final Games because this adds huge pressure on me. I do like thinking about the fact that I will go from competing at the Olympics in Rio to helping create the Olympics in Tokyo.’

Over the years Coventry has made enormous sacrifices because of her career. She went to Auburn University in Alabama where she trained under David Marsh and Kim Brackin. After University, she followed her coach, Brackin, to Austin Texas.

Coventry’s first Games were in Sydney 2000 where she made it to the Semi Finals. She won her first medals in Athens 2004 and again in Beijing 2008.

The 2012 Olympic Games were not what Kirsty anticipated, four months before the Games she dislocated her knee and then two months later she caught Pneumonia. Despite these setbacks, Kirsty still made it to the finals in two of her events.

‘I didn’t have the best lead up to the London 2012 Games but still managed to come 6th in the World in 2 of my events. It is because of this that I decided to swim again because who knows what I could have done should I have not had these setbacks.’

Coventry has to once again make the sacrifices she has made over the last decade but does so with enthusiasm and gusto.

‘I will miss my family and friends but I have to focus on my goal and keep going forward. I got married in August 2013 and my husband will be coming over with me. He’s my biggest support and like he always says – ‘home is wherever the 2 of us are’.’

Coventry is a remarkable woman who remains humble despite her international success and recognition. Her desire to help others and make a difference on a global level is a reflection of her kindness and compassion and the degree to which she wants to drive these. Her ceaseless energy is driven by her passion to remain successful and inspire others in everything that she does. The Zimbabwean