Coventry takes Olympic silver in 400m individual medley

Coventry takes Olympic silver in 400m individual medley

FIRST BLOOD: Coventry with her silver medal

• World breaking Coventry wins fourth gold

• Coventry sets 400m individual medley world record

• Kirsty smashes venerable 200m backstroke record

• Coventry wins 7th All Africa Games gold

• Coventry claims 2 gold medals at All Africa Games

• It's Kirsty again!

• Mugabe gives Coventry diplomatic passport

• Zim rolls out red carpet for Coventry

• Your shouts on Coventry's victory

• Coventry unites nation

• Mugabe leads tributes after Coventry stunner

• Zimbabwe heroine Coventry wins Olympic gold

• Heroine Coventry clinches second medal for Zim

• Coventry wins Olympic silver

ZIMBABWEAN swimmer Kirsty Coventry claimed the country's first medal at the 2008 Olympics on Saturday as she won the silver in the 400-meter individual medley, clocking a time of 4:29.89.

Her time is one of only two ever below the 4:30 mark and comes in under the old world-record time of 4:31.12 held by the United States' Katie Hoff.

Australia's Stephanie Rice took gold in the event and set a new world record with a time of 4:29.45.

Coventry also set a new African record, breaking her own previous record time of 4:34.25.

The medal is the fourth of Coventry's career as she won three (gold, silver and bronze) at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Her performance marked her first 400 IM in an Olympic Games and the sixth different event of her Olympic career.

Coventry swam the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 200 IM at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

She came back at the 2004 Games to compete in the 100 back, 200 back and 200 IM.

The 400 IM is the first of four events for Coventry at the 2008 Olympics. She was returning to the pool on Sunday to swim in the 100 backstroke preliminary.

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