Coventry breaks world record in 100m backstroke

Coventry breaks world record in 100m backstroke

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ZIMBABWE'S Kisrty Coventry set a new world record in the women's 100m backstroke on Monday with a time of 58.77 seconds in the semi-finals at the Beijing Olympics.

The previous record of 58.97 was set by Natalie Coughlin at the US trials in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 1.

Coventry said the world record had taken her by surprise and she was happy just to make it into a good lane for Tuesday's final.

"I am very excited. It was a great swim, I just want to go home and take good care of myself, it is going to be a tight final," she said.

"Laure Manaudou has the 400 free to come so she wasn't giving it everything and Natalie (Coughlin) is so good at racing, she knows what to do.

"So I expect nothing but fast, fast racing tomorrow morning."

Coughlin had set five consecutive world records in the event before Coventry took the record off her.

Coventry -- Zimbabwe's only Olympic medal hope -- claimed the country's first medal at the 2008 Olympics on Saturday by winning silver in the 400-meter individual medley, clocking a time of 4:29.89.

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 100m backstroke final on Tuesday would be the second of four events for Coventry at the 2008 Olympics.
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