Kirsty Coventry marries fiancé in traditional African ceremony

FORMER Olympic champion swimmer Kirsty Coventry has told of her pride after her boyfriend Tryone Seward asked for her hand in marriage during a traditional African ceremony on January 2.

The 29-year-old Coventry – winner of all of Zimbabwe's seven Olympic medals since 1980, including two golds – revealed last year that she wanted a traditional marriage.
Now the couple's families have agreed lobola, Coventry revealed.
 
She said on Twitter: "Proud of Tyrone. Lobola has been agreed and payment starts."

In another post on her Facebook wall, she added: "... and so the African tradition of bringing mombe (cattle) to my father will soon begin. Lobola has been agreed.

"In no way does my fiancé 'own me'. This is not what lobola is about. It's a centuries old tradition from Southern Africa where the man exchanges an agreed upon asset in exchange for their daughter's hand in marriage. Not only does it prove to her family that he can support their daughter but it unites the two families.

"Over the years, lobola is given to the father, and in doing so, ensures that the families get to see each other, at least once a year."

Coventry said in African culture, "you will always find two factors that are passed on through generations: the importance of family and the importance of tradition. Tyrone and I both understand, respect and live this."
Chinhoyi-born Tryone has been Coventry's manager for the last three years.

With Coventry now set to end her swimming career after taking part in the London Olympics last year, the couple say they will be venturing into business.

Kirsty said: "2013 will see me going into the world of business and of course I'm anxious of this. I'm not anxious or afraid of whether or not I will succeed – I'm afraid of jumping into a new world, an unknown world."

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