Kirsty Coventry has been appointed President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), ushering in a new era in the history of sport. At the 144th IOC Session, held in Costa Navarino, Greece, the former Zimbabwean Olympic champion was elected to the position, becoming the first woman and the first African to lead the Olympic body since its creation in 1894.

With an exceptional career, Coventry has made swimming history, winning seven Olympic medals, including two titles in the 200m backstroke at the 2004 and 2008 Games. Her legitimacy as a high-performance athlete gives her an authoritative voice to represent athletes within the IOC. « The young girl who started swimming in Zimbabwe all those years ago could never have dreamed of this moment », she said. Outside of sport, Coventry is also Zimbabwe’s Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, and founder of the Kirsty Coventry Academy, an organization that works to prevent drowning and develop youth skills through safe sports centers.