Kirsty Coventry has made historical past by changing into the tenth President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), making her each the primary girl and the primary African to carry the celebrated place.
The 41-year-old was elected after a aggressive race amongst seven candidates in Costa Navarino, Greece, securing essentially the most highly effective function in world sport.
Coventry, who will formally take up the place on June 24, 2025, following the departure of Thomas Bach after a 12-year tenure, may even become the youngest person ever to guide the IOC.
Her election comes at a time of growing global challenges, together with geopolitical uncertainty, debates over the way forward for the Olympic motion, and elevated concentrate on points like gender id and equality. Reflecting on her achievement, Coventry shared:
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That is a unprecedented second. As a nine-year-old woman, I by no means thought I might be standing up right here at some point giving again to this unbelievable motion of ours.
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Earlier than entering into the world of sports activities administration, Coventry was a exceptional athlete for Zimbabwe, successful seven of the nation’s eight Olympic medals so far.
Kirsty Coventry’s illustrious profession
On the 2004 Olympics in Athens, she earned three medals, together with a gold within the 200m backstroke, and she or he defended her title efficiently in Beijing 4 years later.
Born on 16 September 1983 in Harare, Zimbabwe, Coventry attended Auburn College in the USA, the place she competed in swimming.
Her Olympic profession spanned 5 Video games, with Coventry incomes quite a few medals, together with 4 on the 2008 Beijing Olympics (one gold and three silver), cementing her as one in all Africa’s biggest Olympians.
Her achievements led Zimbabwe’s Olympic Committee to name her “our nationwide treasure,” and President Robert Mugabe dubbed her “a golden woman,” awarding her a money prize for her success in Beijing.
In 2016, Coventry retired from swimming after her fifth Olympics, holding the joint-most particular person medals in ladies’s Olympic swimming historical past.
She has since transitioned into sports activities administration, serving because the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in Zimbabwe since 2018.
She was additionally elected Chairperson of the IOC Athletes’ Fee in 2018, representing athletes worldwide.
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Coventry’s journey from Olympic champion to IOC president marks a brand new period for the worldwide sporting neighborhood, and she or he is about to go away an indelible mark on the way forward for the Olympic motion along with her first main take a look at being the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and 2028 Summer time Video games in Los Angeles, USA.
