Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), making history as the first woman, first African, and youngest person to hold the role. The 41-year-old Zimbabwean and seven-time Olympic medalist won the position after securing 49 of 97 votes in the first round during an election in Greece.
Coventry will officially take over from current president Thomas Bach on June 24, facing a challenging landscape marked by geopolitical tensions, debates around gender equality, and the future direction of the Olympic movement.
She pledged to lead with pride and integrity, focusing on gender equality, athlete protection, and using sport as a bridge between cultures. Her first major task will be overseeing the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in 2026.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/20/sport/kirsty-coventry-ioc-president-election-spt-intl/index.html
, making history as the first woman, first African, and youngest person to hold the role. The 41-year-old Zimbabwean and seven-time Olympic medalist won the position after securing 49 of 97 votes in the first round during an election in Greece.){kind=link}