In a big moment for sports, Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe has made history! She has become the first woman and the youngest ever to be the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), one of the most powerful sports organizations in the world. At 41 years old, she is also the first African to hold this important position.
During her joyful acceptance speech, Kirsty, who won two gold medals at the Olympics and has seven medals in total, shared her excitement. “I never thought I would be here as a nine-year-old girl. I hope my story inspires others,” she said. Coventry won the election with 49 out of 97 votes, easily beating other candidates, including Spain’s Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. and World Athletics’ president, Sebastian Coe.
Kirsty is committed to leading the IOC with pride and values. She knows there’s a lot of work ahead. One of her first big tasks will be preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and dealing with the changes since Donald Trump became president of the United States. During her time, the host for the 2036 Olympics will also be chosen, and India hopes to be the host with Ahmedabad as the main city.
Coventry is not only a champion swimmer but also serves as the sports minister of Zimbabwe and has won seven Olympic medals, including back-to-back golds in the 200m backstroke at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games. She has been with the IOC since 2013, helping athletes around the world.
When asked about her support, Kirsty said, “Forty-nine votes show a lot of unity. We have to work together for the betterment of the movement.” Other candidates who ran against her included presidents from skiing, cycling, and gymnastics organizations.
Kirsty took over the presidency from Thomas Bach on June 23, which is Olympic Day. Bach congratulated her, saying he looks forward to working with her and believes the future of the Olympic movement is bright. Kirsty’s first big event will be the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Leave a Reply