By Elizabeth Sitotombe

ZIMBABWE’S Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Minister, Kirsty Coventry, has been elected the fi rst female president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the 10th president overall of the organisation that was founded in 1894. As the world celebrates Women’s Month, a time dedicated to honouring the achievements of women and advocating for gender equality, Kirsty’s meteoric rise to the pinnacle of world sport stands out as a shining example of leadership and success. Voting took place in Costa Navarino, Greece, about 100 kilometres south of Olympia, site of the Ancient Olympics. Coventry received a majority 49 out of 97 votes in the fi rst and only round, followed by Juan Antonio Samaranch of Spain with 28 votes.

The other candidates were fellow IOC members Prince Feisal Al Hussein, Sebastian Coe, Johan Eliasch, David Lappartient and Morinari Watanabe. Coventry succeeds Bach, who served the maximum 12 years in the role. In Coventry’s eight-year term, the Olympic hosts will be Milan Cortina, Italy (2026), Los Angeles (2028), the French Alps (2030) and Brisbane, Australia (2032). IOC members voted Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medallist, into the role’s eight-year term (renewable for an extra four years) on Thursday. She also becomes the second-youngest IOC president at 41 after Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics.

Coubertin began his 29-year term at age 33 in 1896, the year of the fi rst modern Olympics in Athens, Greece. “This is an extraordinary moment,” she said in an address to IOC members moments after outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach announced she had won the election. “As a nine-year-old girl, I never thought that I’d be standing up here one day getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours.” Her term starts in June. Congratulations to our pool superstar! Coventry becomes the fi rst person and woman from Africa to serve as IOC president.

The previous nine presidents were men from Europe or the US. The Olympic gold medallist was born in Harare on September 16, 1983. From a young age, she exhibited a natural affi nity for swimming, a sport that would later defi ne her career. Her talent was evident early on, and she quickly rose through the ranks in Zimbabwean swimming circles. Recognising her potential, Coventry’s parents supported her ambitions, ensuring she had access to the best training facilities and coaching available. Kim Brackin, then a co-head coach at Auburn, began recruiting Coventry when she was 16. She met the young swimmer, and her family, in Zimbabwe in May 2000. Coventry went on to make her Olympic debut in September 2000 a day after turning 17, there she ranked the 12th fastest swimmer in the world and was named Zimbabwe’s Sportswoman of the Year after reaching the semi-fi nals.

The next year, she was awarded a scholarship to study at Auburn University in Alabama in the US, where she became an NCAA champion. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, she clinched three medals: one gold, one silver, and one bronze. Her gold medal in the 200-metre backstroke was particularly significant, as it marked Zimbabwe’s fi rst Olympic gold medal in 24 years, since the country’s independence. Coventry’s performance in Athens not only brought pride to her nation but also established her as a force to be reckoned with in international swimming. Former President Robert Mugabe described her as a ‘national treasure’ and our ‘golden girl’.

Her success continued at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where she further solidifi ed her legacy. Coventry won four medals in Beijing, including a gold in the 200-metre backstroke, successfully defending her title from Athens. Coventry amassed a total of seven Olympic medals, making her one of the most successful swimmers in Olympic history. After retiring from competitive swimming, Kirsty Coventry transitioned into sports administration, driven by a desire to give back to the sport that had given her so much. Her deep understanding of the challenges faced by athletes, coupled with her passion for the Olympic movement, made her a natural fit for leadership roles within the IOC. In 2013, Coventry was elected to the IOC Athletes’ Commission, a body that represents the interests of athletes within the Olympic movement. In 2018, she was elected chairperson of the Athletes Committee, she also served as the vice president of the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee.

Her election to the commission was a testament to her standing in the global sports community and her commitment to advocating for athletes’ rights. Coventry was appointed as Minister of Youth, Sport, Art and Recreation in 2018 by His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

In this capacity, she has worked to promote sports development and youth empowerment, using her platform to create positive change and inspire hope for the future. Coventry’s election as the president of the IOC Athletes’ Commission is a historic moment, not only for her but for the entire Olympic movement for Africa and above all Zimbabwe. As the fi rst woman and the first African to hold this prestigious position, Coventry’s election marks a signifi cant step forward in the IOC’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion. Writing on his X handle, President Mnangagwa said: “Congratulations to our own Kirsty Coventry on her historic election as the fi rst female African president of the IOC. A proud achievement for Zimbabwe and the continent! Wishing her a great success.”

Coventry has also been involved in various charitable initiatives, particularly those aimed at supporting young athletes and promoting sports development in Zimbabwe. Coventry’s foundation, the Kirsty Coventry Academy, provides scholarships and training opportunities for aspiring swimmers, helping to nurture the next generation of talent. The foundation off ers training at their swimming facilities for an aff ordable fee. In her manifesto for the IOC presidency, Coventry reiterated her commitment to addressing inequality in sports adding that it was imperative to strengthen women’s sports by protecting female athletes while promoting equal opportunities for women at all levels. She also stated that she hoped to make sports a “bridge of hope and a force for good”.

Coventry’s achievements not only brings pride to Zimbabwe but also inspires a generation of young athletes, especially girls, who desire to pursue their dreams in sports. Indeed it is a happy Women’s Month.