BEIJING, Aug 14: Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, who has won three silver medals in Beijing, produced the fastest time in qualifying on Thursday in defence of her women’s 200 metres backstroke title.

Britain’s Elizabeth Simmonds was second fastest with Australian Meagen Nay third, followed by China’s Jing Zhao and Russia’s Anastasia Zueva.

World record holder Margaret Hoelzer of the United States was seventh with France’s Laure Manaudou 10th fastest.

Coventry said she expects a close battle in the semi-finals and the final.

“Margaret Hoelzer swam a great race, Manaudou hasn’t had the meet she wants so far is a fighter and she is a competitor I think she will be in the final,” said Coventry.

“Elizabeth Simmonds just had a good race, so there are a lot of people. It’s going to be another tight race.”

Simmonds said she had raced instinctively but was pleased with her time.

“I got little excited, didn’t follow my race plan I was meant to, but that’s natural for me to be excited in my first race at my first Olympics, I’ll have to work on that tomorrow, bring it back faster. Anything can happen,” said Simmonds.

“That was a really good race and those girls have probably got a lot more in the bag too, so it’ll be a brilliant race.

“It’s exciting to be at an Olympic Games and winning your heat, this is the kind of thing you dream of, it’s fantastic.”—Reuters