Kirsty Coventry was elected president of the International Olympic Committee, becoming the first woman and the first African to hold the position, at the age of just 41.
President-elect Coventry succeeds Thomas Bach, who served as president since 2013 and was re-elected in 2021. She secured 49 votes in the first round, meeting the majority requirement from the 97 votes cast.
“I’m very proud to call myself a Zimbabwean and to have grown up there, for my mum to have been born there, my grandmother. And, [my message] to Africa: this is our time.” Kirsty stated
During her acceptance speech, President-elect Coventry stated “This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl I never thought I’d 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 is 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 hopefully extremely confident in the decision that you have taken today. Now we’ve got some work together. This race was an incredible race and it made us better, made us a stronger Movement.”
President-elect Coventry will take office following the handover from President Bach on Olympic Day, 23 June. Bach will continue in his role until that date, after which he will step down as an IOC Member and assume the position of Honorary President.
The President-elect will lead the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, her first Olympic Games, with less than 11 months to the Opening Ceremony.
President Bach expressed his views on the election of his successor, stating: “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.”
