Kirsty Coventry: what you need to know about new IOC President
Kirsty Coventry, a Zimbabwean of British origin, was the only woman in the race but polled 49 votes, leaving the six male opponents, including Britain’s Lord Coe, to scamper for the remainder of the 97 votes in the first round of Thursday’s election in Greece to emerge the 10th president of International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Son of former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr came second with 28 votes, Sebastian Coe got a paltry eight, while Frenchman David Lappartient and Japanese
Morinari Watanabe got four apiece, among others in the race to succeed the outgoing president Thomas Bach.
Here’s more of what you may need to know about the record-breaking Coventry.
First African
Her skin and genes aside, there’s no country Coventry calls home like Zimbabwe. Born in Harare, in 1983, she started swimming in her childhood in Zimbabwe, pursuing a sport that took her to the Olympics.
First woman
The only woman in the race and emerged the victor, the first woman to hit the milestone in the 131-year presidential history of the IOC. Her tenure will span eight years, including the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, and is renewable once for four years.
Youngest president
She was the youngest contender among seven and at 41 she is the youngest- ever IOC predident. She is 18 years younger than Bach was when he was voted president in 2013.
Thanks to her age and experience as a former athlete she will most likely connect easily with the athletes.
Zimbabwe’s first Olympic champion
Coventry was classic in the backstroke and medley swimming categories, claiming three medals at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. She got gold in the women’s 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 200m medley, becoming Zimbabwe’s first and most decorated Olympic champion.
She defended her 200m backstroke Olympic title at Beijing 2008 and added three silver medals across the 100m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley.
Sports minister
Her illustrious career as an athlete Coventry joined sports administration. First, she joined the IOC in 2013. Five years later, she became Zimbabwe’s Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation to date.
Manager-husband
On 10 August 2013, Coventry married Tyrone Seward who had been her manager since 2010.
The couple married in a traditional ceremony where Seward was charged one cow and two chickens as bride price. In May 2019, they welcomed their first child. Now they have two.
Tenure begins June 24
Bach’s 12-year tenure officially ends after Olympic Day on Monday June 23, 2025.
Coventry’s first Olympic edition will be the 2026 Winter Games due in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy.