Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe has been elected as the first female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a historic move.
She has become the first woman and the first person from Africa to head the Olympic body. The IOC members voted Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medalist, as the IOC President for an eight-year term on Thursday.
Mrs Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee at the 144th IOC Session in Costa Navarino. pic.twitter.com/Dv8Tfbecf6
— IOC MEDIA (@iocmedia) March 20, 2025
41-year-old Kirsty Coventry, who is also the two-time Olympic swimming champion, is also the youngest person ever elected to lead the most influential body in sports governance.
Coventry succeeds outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach, who served the maximum 12 years in the role.
In the next eight years, Kirsty Coventry will oversee the Olympic games in Milan Cortina, Italy (2026), Los Angeles (2028), the French Alps (2030) and Brisbane, Australia (2032).
