Heather Brand

{{short description|Zimbabwean swimmer}}

{{EngvarB|date=May 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Heather Brand

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Heather Brand

| nicknames =

| national_team = {{ZIM}}

| strokes = Freestyle, butterfly

| club = King Aquatic Club (U.S.)

| coach = Sean Hutchison (U.S.)

| collegeteam = Louisiana State University (U.S.)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|11|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Harare, Zimbabwe

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = {{convert|1.73|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| weight = {{convert|60|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}

| medaltemplates=

{{MedalSport | Women's swimming}}

{{MedalCountry|{{ZIM}}}}

{{MedalCompetition|All-Africa Games}}

{{MedalSilver| 2007 Algiers | 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalSilver| 2007 Algiers | 50 m butterfly}}

{{MedalSilver| 2007 Algiers | 100 m butterfly}}

{{MedalBronze| 2007 Algiers | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze| 2007 Algiers | 200 m butterfly}}

| show-medals = yes

| updated =

}}

Heather Brand (born 17 November 1982) is a Zimbabwean swimmer, who specialised in freestyle and butterfly events.{{cite sports-reference|title = Heather Brand|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/heather-brand-1.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200418065821/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/heather-brand-1.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = 18 April 2020|access-date = 29 December 2012}} Brand had claimed a total of five medals (three silver and two bronze) at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria, and eventually represented her nation Zimbabwe in the 100 m butterfly at the 2008 Summer Olympics.{{cite news|title=Zimbabwean sports officials confident of Beijing Olympics|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-08/02/content_6464197.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114131/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-08/02/content_6464197.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 March 2016|publisher=Xinhua News Agency|date=2 August 2007|accessdate=9 January 2013}}{{cite news|last=Kausiyo|first=Petros|title=Zimbabwe: Another Medal for Country|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200707160658.html|work=The Herald|location=Zimbabwe|publisher=AllAfrica.com|date=14 July 2007|accessdate=9 January 2013}} Apart from her medal treasury, Brand also established five long and short-course national records in all butterfly events at a major international competition, spanning three editions of the World Championships.{{cite news|title=Swimmer Brand to represent country in Montreal|url=http://louisianastate.scout.com/2/411672.html|publisher=Tiger Sports Digest|date=22 July 2005|accessdate=9 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051226023715/http://louisianastate.scout.com/2/411672.html|archive-date=26 December 2005|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last=Matiza|first=Collin|title=Zimbabwe: Coventry to Compete at Manchester World Champs|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200804090128.html|publisher=All Africa|date=9 April 2008|accessdate=9 January 2013}}

Brand competed for Zimbabwe in the women's 100 m butterfly at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She scored a solid Zimbabwean record of 1:00.61 to capture the 100 m butterfly crown and slide under the FINA B-cut (1:01.43) by nearly a full second at the All-Africa Games one year earlier.{{cite web|title=Olympic Cut Sheet – Women's 100m Butterfly|url=http://magazines.swimmingworld.com:9997/SPIPDF/080508olyscutsheet.pdf|page=74|publisher=Swimming World Magazine|accessdate=10 April 2013}} Swimming on the outside in heat three, Brand wound up last in a disappointing 1:01.39 to round out the eight-female pack, over two seconds behind the leader Birgit Koschischek of Austria. Brand failed to advance to the semifinals, as she placed forty-second overall out of 49 swimmers in the prelims.{{cite web|title=Women's 100m Butterfly Heat 3|url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/swimming/resultsandschedules/rsc=SWW021900/index.html|work=Beijing 2008|publisher=NBC Olympics|accessdate=9 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821062344/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/swimming/resultsandschedules/rsc%3DSWW021900/index.html|archivedate=21 August 2012}}

Brand is the former captain of the LSU swimming team and a graduate of wildlife management at the Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Nick|title=LSU swimmer to represent Zimbabwe in 2008 Olympics|url=http://www.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/uwire/111805aah.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503122457/http://www.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/uwire/111805aah.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 May 2014|publisher=CBS College Sports|accessdate=9 January 2013}} She is also a resident athlete of King Aquatic Club in Federal Way, Washington, where she trained with numerous world-class swimmers, including Margaret Hoelzer and Megan Jendrick of the United States (both of whom were Olympic medalists), and Svetlana Karpeeva, an individual medley specialist from Russia.{{cite news|last=Borzilleri|first=Meri-Jo|title=Olympic hopeful Margaret Hoelzer makes smooth transition onto King Aquatic squad|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/olympics/2004477918_olynotes15.html|work=The Seattle Times|date=15 June 2008|accessdate=9 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219090747/http://seattletimes.com/html/olympics/2004477918_olynotes15.html|archivedate=19 February 2014}}{{cite news|last=Olson|first=Casey|title=A dream comes true: Brand will swim at the Olympics|url=http://www.federalwaymirror.com/sports/17101776.html|work=Federal Way Mirror|date=13 June 2008|accessdate=9 January 2013}}