Overnight the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Members voted for a new President in Greece, the home of Olympia, and elected Kirsty Coventry.
Here are 10 things you may not know about the 10th President to lead the Olympic Movement.
1. First female elected IOC President
In the IOC’s 131-year presidential history Coventry has become the first female elected to the top position. Her term of office will span eight years, including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, and is renewable once for a period of four years.
“I am particularly proud to be the first female IOC President, and also the first from Africa. I hope that this vote will be an inspiration to many people,” Coventry said.
2. First African to become IOC President
Coventry was born in Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare, in 1983 and found a passion for swimming in her childhood. That passion took her to compete at the Olympics.
“The young girl who first started swimming in Zimbabwe all those years ago could never have dreamt of this moment.”
3. Second youngest IOC President in history
At 41 years of age Coventry is the second youngest IOC President in history, behind Pierre de Coubertin who was 33 when he became president in 1896, and 18 years younger than outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach was when he assumed the position in 2013.
“Glass ceilings have been shattered today, and I am fully aware of my responsibilities as a role model.”
4. An Olympian and Olympic champion
One of the world’s top backstroke and medley swimmers, she claimed three medals at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games; gold in the women's 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 200m medley.
She defended the 200m backstroke Olympic title at Beijing 2008 and added three silver medals across the 100m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley.
5. Zimbabwe’s most successful Olympian
Since Zimbabwe first competed at the Olympic Games in 1980 the nation has won eight Olympic medals. Coventry has seven of those, all in individual events, and is the only athlete from Zimbabwe to win an individual event at the Olympics.
No African has won more Olympic medals than Coventry.
Zimbabwe’s women’s hockey team from 1980 won Olympic gold.
After Coventry’s fifth Olympic Games at Rio 2016 she retired from swimming and became more involved with the IOC, sixteen years after her Olympic debut at Sydney 2000.
6. First became an IOC Member in 2013
Coventry was elected to the IOC in 2013 as a member of the Athletes’ Commission and in 2018 took over as Chair of the Commission until 2021.
She was then re-elected as an individual IOC Member in 2021. In that same year Brisbane received hosting rights to the 2032 Olympic Games and Coventry became Chair of the Coordination Commission for the Games.
7. Spent seven years as Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation in Zimbabwe
From 2018 to present day Coventry has served as Zimbabwe’s Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation.
Kirsty, a mother of two, became minister four days after she found out she was pregnant with her first child.
8. Coventry will take office on the 24th of June
Bach’s 12-year tenure will officially end after Olympic Day on Monday 23 June 2025.
“Congratulations to Kirsty Coventry on her election as the 10th IOC President,” Bach said. “I warmly welcome the decision of the IOC Members.
“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.”
9. Five priorities underpinned her election campaign
Coventry’s vision for the future of the Olympic Movement is tied to harnessing the power of sport, maximising collaboration & engagement, strengthening partnerships for mutual growth, championing sustainable development and advancing credibility & trust.
10. One guiding philosophy
The new IOC President follows the Ubuntu philosophy: “I am because we are.”
Believing in the strength of the Olympic community to fulfill a responsibility to uplift one another.
