Zimbabwe Captures Silver

(image from CollegeSports.com)

Zimbabwe has had its share of troubles since it declared its independence in 1980 (and changed its name from Rhodesia). But today, the country will be united across political, economic, and racial lines to celebrate swimmer Kirsty Coventry, who won a silver medal in the 100m Backstroke. Just 13 hundredths of a second behind gold medal winner Natalie Coughlin, Kirsty will be happy to bring home Zimbabwe’s second ever Olympic medal (the first was a gold in women’s field hockey, though from the tarnished 1980 Moscow Games). It’s the country’s first medal in swimming.

And Kirsty’s not finished yet. She’ll be swimming in tomorrow’s 200m Individual Medley final. You can read her Olympic Diary and see her profile on the Auburn Tigers site.