Kirsty Coventry has created history as she became the first-ever woman and African to lead the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
According to CNN, the 41-year-old on Thursday, March 20, 2025, has been elected the 10th president of the OIC and also became first female to lead the committee in its 130-year history.
The Zimbabwean swimming great emerged victorious among seven contenders for the OIC president position in the seaside resort of Costa Navarino in Greece. She will now replace Thomas Bach and gain the top job in world sport.
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Out of 97 votes, Coventry got 49, while second-placed Juan Antonio Samaranch received 28.
Coventry said after her election, “This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl, I never thought I would be standing up here one day getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours.”
“This is not just a huge honour, but it’s also a reminder of my commitment to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride with the values at the core, and I will make all of you very, very proud and extremely confident in the decision that you’ve taken today,” she added.
Coventry will officially take her position as the OIC president on June 24, 2025, after Bach steps down following a 12-year spell in charge.
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