Kirsty Coventry hopes for Olympic swansong

Swimming icon Kirsty Coventry kept her hopes for an eighth Olympic medal alive when she battled her way into fourth place in the 200m backstroke semi-finals in the early hours of yesterday at the 2016 Games in Rio.

Coventry was set to battle for a medal in the final in the early hours of this morning. She came fourth in 2mins 08:83s in a race won by Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu in a time of 2mins 06.03s. Madeline Dirado of United States was second in 2mins 07:53s with Australia’s Belinda Hocking taking third position in 2mins 07.83s.

Speaking to Zimpapers’ Spencer Banda, who is in Rio, Coventry said the thought of yesterday’s race being possibly her last one made her push harder.

“I just wanted to get my hand on the wall and all I was thinking about is just swim as hard as you can, this could be the last swim and make it good and just get to the wall and I did. I was happy with the time,” said Coventry.

The swimming icon said today’s race was for everyone who has been supporting her as she represented the country at the Games since 2000 just as a 17-year-old girl.

And she admitted she was a bit nervous as she waited for the results yesterday.

“I was a little bit nervous, like hanging in there waiting for the results to come out. They seemed to take forever, I was like come on please just let me in.

“And then when it came through I was like . . . thank goodness.

“For me this race is about just saying thank you to everyone back home for their faith, their love and for believing in me. No matter what happens tomorrow (today) I am just proud that it could bring us this far,” she said.

Going into the finals, the swimming sensation said considering the close times posted yesterday anything was possible.

“I think the amazing thing of an Olympic final, is anything can happen and we were all pretty close (during yesterday’s semi-finals).

“There is only like a second separating us in 200m, that’s not very much.

“So you know what’s going to be the goal now is to try to get as close to that third place or second and gold you know.

“But again, for me, just making this final is huge and I am really excited about it and proud,” said Coventry.

Coventry, who has indicated this will be her last Olympic Games, believes she is leaving at the right time with a number of athletes from various disciplines making it to the global sporting showcase.

“I was talking with Sharon our massage therapist earlier, it’s such a good time for my career to be finishing, we have had an amazing team with our soccer girls and our equestrian and our archery and shooters.

“Our rowers, too, and it’s really given me a lot of encouragement,” Coventry said.

In rowing Micheen Thornycroft’s will be out of today’s final after she failed to make it into final A, which consists of the top six boats that will fight for medals.

Thornycroft put up a remarkable performance on Tuesday to book her place in the women’s single sculls A/B1 semi-finals.

However, yesterday she came fifth and only the top three from A/B1 semi-final and A/B2 proceeded to final A. The Herald