Zakia Nassar, the 21-year-old Palestinian swimmer who last week fulfilled her lifelong ambition to compete at the Olympics, deserves a gold medal for her tenacity.

Having had neither a coach nor access to an Olympic-sized pool for the past year, Nassar, who is currently studying dentistry, had no option but to train on her own at a 12 m public pool.

The coach Nassar had a year ago left her to her own devices when the 25 m pool in Bethlehem closed down.

"There is no pool in Jenin where I am studying," she said.

"So I can swim only once or twice a month when I go back to my parents' home in Bethlehem."

There is a 50 m pool in nearby Nazareth, but the Israeli government does not permit her to use it.

Nassar said it was often embarrassing trying to train at the public pool, with other people swimming and splashing around.

"Sometimes people cut across me, and others would get angry when I swam into them. But quite a few made way for me," she said.

"I got so depressed sometimes I couldn't help crying, but my parents and friends encouraged me, reminding me that I had to keep training if I really wanted to go to the Olympics."

It was only when Nassar arrived in China a month ago that she finally got the opportunity to swim in a 50 m pool and enjoy the benefits of having a coach.

When she at last took part in the Games, she swam the 50 m in 31.97 seconds, an improvement of 7 seconds on her personal best.

Despite her time being good enough only for 79th place, Nassar said it was "the most beautiful moment" of her life.

"Participating in a race at the Olympics was a once-in-a-lifetime experience," she said.

"It felt like I was flying."

But she is not sure if she will go to the next Olympics.

"I won't compete unless I've done the right training. But as swimming is in my soul, I'll probably be a coach in my spare time," she said.