Zimbabwe at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Zimbabwe sent a team to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Zimbabwe at the
2008 Summer Olympics
IOC codeZIM
NOCZimbabwe Olympic Committee
Websitewww.zoc.co.zw
in Beijing
Competitors13 in 6 sports
Flag bearer Brian Dzingai (opening)
Kirsty Coventry (closing)
Medals
Ranked 38th
Gold
1
Silver
3
Bronze
0
Total
4
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Rhodesia (1928-1964)

Zimbabwe sent thirteen athletes to Beijing, competing in swimming, athletics, tennis, cycling, triathlon, and rowing.[1] Kirsty Coventry, who won gold in swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, was the lone member of the delegation to medal.

Medalists
Medal Name Sport Event Date
 GoldKirsty CoventrySwimmingWomen's 200 m backstroke16 August
 SilverKirsty CoventrySwimmingWomen's 400 m individual medley10 August
 SilverKirsty CoventrySwimmingWomen's 100 m backstroke12 August
 SilverKirsty CoventrySwimmingWomen's 200 m individual medley13 August

Athletics
Main article: Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Seven Zimbabweans competed in athletics, with the best finishes being a pair of fourth-places. One came from Brian Dzingai, in the men's 200 metres. Dzingai was the top qualifier in the heats and semifinals, but in the final, he originally placed 6th, before two disqualifications moved him up to 4th. The other came from Ngonidzashe Makusha in the men's long jump. Makusha qualified in 5th, and sat in 2nd place after the first three jumps. He was passed by one opponent on the fourth attempt, and then lost a medal by a single centimetre on the last round of jumps.

Men
Track & road events
Athlete Event Heat Quarterfinal Semifinal Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Lewis Banda 400 m 46.76 6 N/A Did not advance
Brian Dzingai 200 m 20.25 1 Q 20.23 1 Q 20.17 2 Q 20.22 4
Mike Fokoroni Marathon N/A 2:13:17 11
Cuthbert Nyasango 10000 m N/A DNF
Young Talkmore Nyongani 400 m 45.89 6 N/A Did not advance
Field events
Athlete Event Qualification Final
Distance Position Distance Position
Ngonidzashe Makusha Long jump 8.14 5 Q 8.19 4
Women
Track & road events
Athlete Event Final
Result Rank
Tabitha Tsatsa Marathon 2:37:10 49
Key
  • Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
  • Q = Qualified for the next round
  • q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
  • NR = National record
  • N/A = Round not applicable for the event
  • Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

Cycling
Main article: Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Mountain biking

Antipas Kwari represented Zimbabwe in cycling, and was the last finisher in the men's mountain bike race, a full lap behind the next-to-last finisher.

Athlete Event Time Rank
Antipas Kwari Men's cross-country LAP (6 laps) 48

Rowing
Main article: Rowing at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Elana Hill managed to qualify from her opening heat, but finished last in her quarterfinal and her semifinal, ending up in 25th.

Women
Athlete Event Heats Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Elana Hill Single sculls 8:35:53 3 QF 8:20:84 6 SC/D 8:34:27 6 FE 8:09:94 25

Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage

Swimming
Main article: Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Kirsty Coventry managed to improve on her three-medal performance from Athens, repeating her gold medal in the 200-metre backstroke and her silver in the 100-metre backstroke, and adding silver medals in the 200-metre and 400-metre individual medleys. She also set a world record in her 100 backstroke semifinal, which was not broken in the final, and won the 200 backstroke with another world record. Her team-mate Heather Brand did not advance from the heats.

Women
Athlete Event Heat Semifinal Final
Time Rank Time Rank Time Rank
Heather Brand 100 m butterfly 1:01.39 42 Did not advance
Kirsty Coventry 100 m backstroke 59.00 OR 1 Q 58.77 WR 1 Q 59.19
200 m backstroke 2:06.76 OR 1 Q 2:07.76 1 Q 2:05.24 WR
200 m individual medley 2:12.18 3 Q 2:09.53 OR 1 Q 2:08.59 AF
400 m individual medley 4:36:43 7 Q N/A 4:29.89 AF

Tennis
Main article: Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Cara Black, representing Zimbabwe for the third time in Olympic tennis, lost her only match in straight sets.

Athlete Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final / BM
Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Opposition
Score		 Rank
Cara Black Women's singles  Janković (SRB)
L 3–6, 3–6		 Did not advance

Triathlon
Main article: Triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Chris Felgate ran the triathlon for Zimbabwe. He finished the swim with the main pack, but fell behind in the cycling and running portions.

Athlete Event Swim (1.5 km) Trans 1 Bike (40 km) Trans 2 Run (10 km) Total Time Rank
Chris Felgate Men's 18:21 0:28 59:00 0:33 36:09 1:54:31.61 42
gollark: Me.
gollark: Remember how I caused this round?
gollark: Wrong.
gollark: No other fun people exist.
gollark: People don't seem to care about causing me to suffer in guessing because I ignore whatever everyone says and write them in 4.7 minutes narrowly before the deadline.

References
  1. "Coventry leads Zimbabwe medal drive towards Beijing Olympic Games", Xinhua, 19 July 2008
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