Immigration Law

IMMIGRANT OF THE DAY: KIRSTY COVENTRY - OLYMPIC SWIMMER

By Greg Siskind

I'm breaking with my pattern and choosing an immigrant tonight who is competing for her home country even though she resides in America. Kirsty Coventry is the great Zimbabwean swimmer who has won gold already at these Olympics and is going for number two. She is an Auburn (AL) University graduate and now lives and trains in Austin, Texas, one of my favorite towns.

Coventry is a heroine in her country at a time when the people of Zimbabwe really need a break. To her credit, she has shown tremendous loyalty to her home country even though she would clearly have made the US team. Coventry recently told this to Reuters:

?I will not stop representing Zimbabwe,? she told reporters. ?It is where I was born, my parents live there and I go back as often as I can and I will never not represent Zimbabwe as long as I?m swimming.

?I guess when I stop swimming that is when I?ll stop representing Zimbabwe,? she said, adding that she plans to go back home for two weeks after the Games.

Coventry is making the people of America and the people of Zimbabwe proud.

Full post as published by Greg Siskind's Blog on August 14, 2008 (boomark / email).