Zimbabwean sports icon Kirsty Coventry made history yesterday, becoming the first woman and 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 to assume the most influential role in global sports governance.
Coventry, who serves as Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister, succeeds Thomas Bach after his 12-year tenure. She expressed her commitment to collaborating with the six other high-profile contenders she surpassed in the election.
“This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl, I never imagined I would stand here one day, giving back to this incredible movement of ours,” Coventry said.
“This is not just a great honor; it is a reminder to all of you that I will lead this organization with pride and integrity. I will make you proud and ensure you feel confident in today’s decision. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Coventry was widely regarded as Bach’s preferred successor. Initially, she was expected to face a tough contest against IOC veteran Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior and World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.
However, the election was decided in the first round, with Coventry securing 49 out of 97 votes. Samaranch Junior received 28 votes, while Coe, a two-time Olympic 1500m champion, managed just eight.
With Samaranch now 65 and Coe 68, their hopes of leading the IOC have effectively ended.
Despite running a relatively low-profile media campaign compared to her competitors, Coventry’s strategic lobbying proved highly effective—so much so that one critically ill IOC member traveled specifically to vote.
Concerns had been raised about her ministerial role in Zimbabwe’s government, particularly after the country’s 2023 elections were deemed undemocratic. However, this appeared to have little impact on the IOC electorate.
As president, Coventry will navigate key geopolitical challenges, including the potential reintegration of Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and dealing with the unpredictability of U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Nonetheless, she emphasized unity and collaboration with her former rivals.
“We have work to do together,” she stated.
“I want to sincerely thank all the candidates. This race strengthened us and made our movement better. From my conversations with each of you, I know we will emerge stronger as we come together to implement the ideas we’ve shared.”
