Kirsty Settles for Second

OLYMPIC Games-bound Zimbabwean swimming icon Kirsty Coventry was on Saturday night forced to settle for two second place finishes in the women's 100 and 200m backstroke events during the Mesa Pro Swim Series in Los Angeles, United States.

  Coventry (32), who is currently preparing to take part in her fifth straight Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August was beaten into second place in both races by 23-year-old American swimmer Maya Dirado.

According to reports from Los Angeles, Dirado got to the wall first to win the 100m backstroke on Saturday night with a time of 1:00.71. Coventry was just a hair behind in 1:00.74. On her second swim of the night, Katinka Hosszu of Hungary finished third with a 1:00.84.

Kaitlin Harty was placed fourth in 1:01.11. Missy Franklin was fifth in 1:01.28. Felicia Lee and Ella Eastin touched in 1:02.10 and 1:02.17. Franklin's training partner Fernanda Gonzalez rounded out the final in 1:03.80.

Kirsty Settles for Second

On the same night on Saturday, Coventry was also beaten into second place by Dirado in the 200m backstroke with the American swimmer touching the wall first in 2:08.61 while the Zimbabwean star clocked 2:10.04.

Third place went to Harty (2:10.23). Hosszu, Dirado and Coventry were all fresh out of the 200 IM when they hopped back in for Saturday night's 200 backstroke.

That didn't seem to phase Dirado who raced her way to the world's tenth fastest time this year with a 2:08.61, winning the event by well over a second.

Dirado already holds the world's seventh best time from the Austin stop of the Pro Series. That was Dirado's second win in two consecutive events after claiming the 200IM minutes earlier. Coventry held on for second place in 2:10.04. Harty was just behind her in 2:10.23. Matea Samardzic finished fourth with a 2:13.46 while Hosszu ended up fifth in 2:13.91.

Melanie Klaren (2:14.24), Erin Earley (2:15.98) and Ally Howe (2:16.57) also competed in the A final. There was also no joy for Coventry in the 200m individual medley event where she finished a disappointing seventh in 2:14.76.

The first six places in the women's 200IM went to Dirado (2:11.09), Ella Eastin (2:11.35), Melanie Megalis (2:12.22), Madlsyn Cox (2:12.35), Hosszu (2:12.37) and Caltlin Leverenz (2:14.70).

At this year's Rio Games in August, Coventry will represent Zimbabwe in the women's 100 and 200m backstroke events.

Coventry is a seven-time Olympic Games medallist which comprises of two golds, four silvers and one bronze.