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Kirsty Coventry Elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Appointment | Dated: 22 Mar 2025

Olympic Champion Kirsty Leigh Coventry Seward, a 41-year-old from Zimbabwe, has been elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, for an eight-year tenure. She secured the position through a secret ballot among seven candidates during the 144th IOC Session in Costa Navarino, Greece, succeeding Thomas Bach. Coventry becomes the first woman and the first African to hold this prestigious role.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - As the newly elected IOC President, Coventry will oversee major global sporting events, including the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy. Her leadership is expected to shape the future of the Olympic Movement and enhance the global reach of the Games.
  • - Born on September 16, 1983, Kirsty Coventry is a Zimbabwean athlete, political figure, and sports administrator known for her remarkable achievements in swimming. She has earned a reputation as one of the most decorated female swimmers in Olympic history.
  • - Olympic Achievements: Kirsty Coventry won three medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics (Greece)—gold in the 200m backstroke, silver in the 100m backstroke, and bronze in the 200m medley. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics (China), she defended her gold medal in the 200m backstroke and secured silver medals in the 200m individual medley, 400m freestyle relay, and 400m medley relay.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) World Championship Success: At the 2005 World Championships (Montreal, Canada), Kirsty Coventry won gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke and silver in the 200m and 400m medley. In the 2007 World Championships (Melbourne, Australia), she secured silver medals in the 200m backstroke and 200m medley.
  • (ii) In 2008, Coventry broke her first world record in the 200m backstroke at the Missouri (United States) Grand Prix, surpassing the long-standing record set by Hungary's Krisztina Egerszegi in 1991. Her new record was 2:06.39. She competed in five Olympic Games, with her final appearance at the 2016 Rio Olympics before retiring as one of the most accomplished female swimmers in history.
  • (iii) After retiring from competitive swimming, Coventry was elected as the Chairperson of the IOC Athletes' Commission in 2018, representing Olympic athletes worldwide. In 2023, she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame for her contributions to the sport, further cementing her legacy in the world of athletics.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Recently, who was elected as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)?

Correct Answer: Kirsty Coventry

🚀 Quick Recap:

About International Olympic Committee (IOC)

  • Established : 1894
  • Headquarters : Lausanne, Switzerland