Kirsty Coventry made history by becoming the first woman to lead the International Olympic Committee. She won the top job in the first round of voting, succeeding Thomas Bach.
As a champion swimmer, Coventry knows a thing or two about winning. She took gold in the 200-meter backstroke at the Athens and Beijing Olympics. Now, she’s diving into a new challenge.
Let’s take a look at the past presidents of the IOC:
- 2025-2033: Kirsty Coventry (Zimbabwe)
- 2013-2025: Thomas Bach (Germany)
- 2001-2013: Jacques Rogge (Belgium)
- 1980-2001: Juan Antonio Samaranch (Spain)
- 1972-1980: Michael Morris (Ireland)
- 1952-1972: Avery Brundage (USA)
- 1942-1952: Sigfrid Edström (Sweden)
- 1925-1942: Henri de Baillet-Latour (Belgium)
- 1896-1925: Pierre de Coubertin (France)
- 1894-1896: Demetrius Vikelas (Greece)
Coventry said, “This is an extraordinary moment. As a 9-year-old girl, I never thought I’d be here today, giving back to this incredible movement.” She got 49 votes, beating out other candidates like Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. and Sebastian Coe.
Coventry will take over as IOC president on June 23. She promised to lead with pride and Olympic values at the forefront. “I’ll make each of you proud and, I hope, extremely confident in the decision made today,” she said.
As a seven-time Olympic medalist, Coventry has been involved with the IOC since 2013. She’s currently heading up the coordination commission for the 2026 Youth Olympics and the 2032 Olympics.