Kirsty Coventry Becomes First Female President of the International Olympic Committee

Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry made history on Thursday by becoming the first woman and the first African to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), calling it an “extraordinary moment.” At 41, the two-time Olympic swimming champion is also the youngest person ever elected to this prestigious position, which holds significant power in global sports governance. She succeeds Thomas Bach, who is stepping down after 12 years, and expressed her commitment to work collaboratively with the six other prominent candidates she defeated.

“This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl, I never imagined that I would be standing here one day, getting the opportunity to give back to this incredible movement of ours,” Coventry said.

“This is not just a tremendous honor but also a reminder to each and every one of you that I will lead this organization with immense pride, staying true to its core values. I will strive to make you all very, very proud and, I hope, fully confident in the decision you’ve made today.”

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Coventry, widely believed to be Bach’s preferred candidate, was thought to be in a tight race with IOC veteran Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.

However, to general surprise, the race concluded after the first round of voting, with a majority of the 100-plus IOC members placing their trust in her to tackle the significant challenges ahead.

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