HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry, a seven-time Olympic swimming medallist, is vying to become the first woman and African to lead the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Coventry, 41, is among seven confirmed candidates to succeed current president Thomas Bach, who will step down next year after serving since 2013.
Coventry, Africa’s most decorated Olympian and Zimbabwe’s sports minister, faces competition from renowned figures like World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe, France’s David Lappartient, and Japan’s Morinari Watanabe. The election will take place in ancient Olympia in March 2025, with presentations by candidates scheduled for January.
If elected, Coventry would break the longstanding male and European dominance of the IOC presidency. She has served as an IOC athlete representative and founded her own swimming academy, further boosting her credentials within the Olympic movement.
Coventry’s candidacy is significant not only for her sporting achievements but also for her potential to bring new perspectives to the leadership of the Olympic body.
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