Zimbabwe at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Zimbabwe at the 2012 Summer Olympics
IOC code	ZIM
NOC	Zimbabwe Olympic Committee
Website	www.zoc.co.zw
in London
Competitors	7 in 4 sports
Flag bearers	Kirsty Coventry (opening) Cuthbert Nyasango (closing)
Medals	Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1928 1932–1956 1960 1964 1968–1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024

Zimbabwe competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, UK from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's ninth consecutive appearance at the Olympics, after gaining its independence from the former Rhodesia.

The Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) sent the nation's smallest delegation to the Games. A total of seven athletes, four men and three women, competed in four different sports. Swimmer and defending Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry was Zimbabwe's greatest highlight to the Games, and the most successful athlete in Olympic history. She won a total of seven Olympic medals (two gold, four silver, and one bronze) in both backstroke and individual medley events, and broke both an Olympic and a world record. Because of her repeated successes in swimming, Coventry became the nation's first female flag bearer at the opening ceremony. On 11 August 2012, Coventry was elected to the IOC Athletes' Commission, along with three other athletes.^[1]

Zimbabwe, however, failed to win a single Olympic medal for the first time since 2000, following Coventry's sixth-place finishes in two of her sporting events. Meanwhile, long-distance runner Cuthbert Nyasango also missed out of the medal standings, after finishing seventh in the men's marathon.

Zimbabwean athletes achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard):^[2][3]

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

Men

Athlete	Event	Final
		Result	Rank
Wirimai Juwawo	Marathon	2:14:09	15
Cuthbert Nyasango		2:12:08	7

Women

Athlete	Event	Final
		Result	Rank
Sharon Tavengwa	Marathon	DNF

Zimbabwe qualified two boats.

Men

Athlete	Event	Heats		Repechage		Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
James Fraser-Mackenzie	Single sculls	7:16.83	5 R	7:19.85	4 SE/F	Bye		7:33.81	3 FE	7:46.49	30

Women

Athlete	Event	Heats		Repechage		Quarterfinals		Semifinals		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Micheen Thornycroft	Single sculls	7:47.10	3 Q	Bye		7:56.66	4 SC/D	7:51.02	1 FC	8:07.52	14

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; Q=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage

Zimbabwean swimmers achieved qualifying standards in the following events (up to a maximum of 2 swimmers in each event at the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT), and potentially 1 at the Olympic Selection Time (OST)):^[4][5]

Women

Athlete	Event	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Kirsty Coventry	100 m backstroke	1:00.24	15 Q	1:00.39	14	Did not advance
	200 m backstroke	2:08.14	3 Q	2:08.32	6 Q	2:08.18	6
	200 m individual medley	2:10.51	2 Q	2:10.93	8 Q	2:11.13	6

Zimbabwe has qualified the following athletes.

Athlete	Event	Swim (1.5 km)	Trans 1	Bike (40 km)	Trans 2	Run (10 km)	Total Time	Rank
Chris Felgate	Men's	18:09	0:43	59:36	0:34	34:51	1:53:53	52