Thursday, August 19, 2004
From The Jewel Of Africa
Kirsty Coventry is Zimbabwe's first medal winner since 1980, taking a silver and a bronze in two swimming events. As a white representing a country mired in racial turmoil, she says that race isn't an issue to her, but I can't help but wonder what she would be doing if she hadn't gone to the United States for university.
Nonetheless, I'm sure many of her fellow Zimbabweans are proud, and perhaps Robert Mugabe's band of thugs should look at this and ask whether they or she have a better vision for their country.
Speaking of Olympic inspirations, don't forget this picture.
UPDATE (Aug 20, 07:20 PM): So one minute you're blogging about a two-medal winning Olympian, the next minute she goes off and wins another one, and a gold to boot. By now, even Mugabe himself is tripping over himself to congratulate her. No word, though, on whether she'll be "redistributed" a farm for her accomplishments.
Incidentally, Kirsty first splashed onto the scene at the 2002 Commonwealth Games: whether she'll be competing in those ever again is anyone's guess.
Regardless of the political nastiness, though, Kirsty's personal achievement is truly impressive. Congratulations.
