Coventry Enjoys Extraordinary Moment As She Becomes Iocs First Woman Leader

Kirsty Coventry became the first woman and first African to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday, saying it was an extraordinary moment.

The 41-year-old two-time Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe is also the youngest person to hold the most powerful position in sports governance.

It is a really powerful signal we are truly global and evolved into an organisation open to diversity, said Coventry, who paid tribute to her supporter Anita DeFrantz, the first woman to run for the post of IOC supremo.

It is significant women like her paved the way for more women like me and I want to pave the way for younger generations, especially because I have two young daughters.

Coventry, the Zimbabwean sports minister, is a close ally of Thomas Bach, the German who will step down as IOC supremo after 12 years.