Kirsty Coventry was determined to win the gold from the Beijing Olympics and finally she succeeded in her desire after securing the gold medal in the Women's 200m Backstroke at the National Aquatics Center. Coventry has already won three silver medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. But with this gold, she has realized her dream as well as smashed the world record. Coventry, who qualified fastest for the final, blew away her opponent from the beginning, turning ahead at each turn under world record pace.

 

Coventry concluded in a time of 2:05.24min, while Margaret Hoelzer of the United States managed to grab the silver medal in 2:06.23min, exactly 0.99 seconds behind Coventry. The bronze medalist from the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2007 world championships, Japan’s Nakamura Reiko won the bronze medal in a time of 2:07.13min. Meagen Nay of Australia, who qualified third fastest for the final, finished in the seventh place.