Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the new president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), making history as the first woman and the first African to hold the prestigious position.
Coventry, a two-time Olympic swimming champion and Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sports, secured an outright majority in the first round of voting, surpassing six other candidates to succeed Germany’s Thomas Bach.
At 41, Coventry becomes the 10th president in the IOC’s 131-year history. She will officially assume office on June 24, a day after Bach steps down following a 12-year tenure.
“This is an extraordinary moment,” Coventry said in her acceptance speech. “It is a huge honor, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now, we have some work to do.”
A member of the IOC since 2013, Coventry has played a key role in sports governance and policy-making on the global stage. Her election is seen as a step toward greater diversity and inclusion in the leadership of world sports.
