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Kirsty Coventry, a former Olympic swimming champion, has made history by becoming the first woman to become International Olympic Committee (IOC) president in its 131-year existence. Her victory in the first round of voting was a surprise, as she triumphed over a field of seven candidates, including Britain's Sebastian Coe.
Coventry, aged 41, secured 49 out of the 97 votes from IOC members, achieving an immediate majority.
This sensational achievement not only makes her the first woman to hold the IOC presidency but also the first African to do so, effectively positioning her as the most influential woman in global sports.
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A celebrated Zimbabwean swimming legend and already a prominent figure within the Olympic movement Kirsty Coventry has literally smashed through the International Olympic Committee’s glass ceiling. She has succeeded Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee, securing the most powerful position in global sports. Thomas Bach's 12-year tenure will officially end after Monday 23 June 2025.
"It's a really powerful signal. It's a signal that we're truly global and that we have evolved into an organisation that is truly open to diversity and we're going to continue," Kirsty said, as quoted by Reuters.
Kirsty Coventry's path to the IOC presidency was remarkably swift, requiring only a single round of voting. She secured an outright majority in the secret ballot, garnering 49 of the 97 available votes. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. finished in second place with 28 votes. Pre-vote predictions had positioned Britain's Sebastian Coe as a strong contender, but he ultimately placed third with eight votes. The remaining votes were distributed among the other candidates: Frenchman David Lappartient, Jordan's Prince Feisal, Swedish-born Johan Eliasch, and Japan's Morinari Watanabe.
"This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder of my commitment to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride. I will make all of you very, very proud, and hopefully extremely confident with the choice you've taken today, thank you from the bottom of my heart," she added.
"I'm going to sit down with President Bach. We're going to have a few months for a handover takeover. And what I want to focus on is bringing all the candidates together. There were so many good ideas and exchanges over the last six months. Look at the IOC and our Olympic movement and family and decide how exactly we're going to move forward in the future. What is it that we want to focus on in the first six months? I have some ideas, but a part of my campaign was listening to the IOC members and hearing what they have to say and hearing how we want to move together," Kirsty further stated.
Meanwhile, Thomas Bach on his successor said:
“Congratulations to Kirsty Coventry on her election as the 10th IOC President. I warmly welcome the decision of the IOC Members and look forward to strong cooperation, particularly during the transition period. There is no doubt that the future for our Olympic Movement is bright and that the values we stand for will continue to guide us through the years to come.”
