Two-time Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The election took place during the 144th IOC session in Greece.
Coventry gives a short acceptance speech:
"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, and I will make all of you very, very proud and hopefully extremely confident in the decision you’ve taken today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and now we’ve got some work together. This race was an incredible race and it made us better, made us a stronger movement."
Coventry will be the first woman to head the IOC. She will take office on June 24. Until then, the IOC will be led by its current president, Thomas Bach of Germany. The future IOC president is 41 years old. She is a two-time Olympic champion (2004, 2008) in the 200-meter backstroke. She also has three Olympic silver medals, one bronze medal and is a three-time world champion.
Kirsty Coventry has been Zimbabwe's Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture since 2018. Coventry has been a member of the IOC Executive Board since 2023, having served as a member from 2018-2021.
