Two time Olympic medallist Kirsty Coventry has been elected as the International Olympic Committee's first female President by an overwhelming majority.
The 41-year-old former swimmer and Zimbabwean sports minister will succeed outgoing President Thomas Bach who has been in office since 2013.
She beat off stiff competition from six other men to clinch the number one position in the World's wealthiest sport body.
As the new IOC president, Coventry will now be tasked with steering the Olympic Movement into a new era, overseeing future Games and addressing key challenges such as rising costs, geopolitical tensions, and the evolving landscape of global sports governance.
In addition to being the only African to have ever held the role, Coventry also makes history as the youngest person to ever occupy the position of IOC President.
She believes that funding young athletes early in their careers would help level the playing field, especially for nations with fewer resources.
In her acceptance speech, Coventry said "The young girl who first started swimming in Zimbabwe all those years ago could never have dreamed of this moment,".
"I am particularly proud to be the first female IOC president, and also the first from Africa."
"I hope that this vote will be an inspiration to many people. Glass ceilings have been shattered today, and I am fully aware of my responsibilities as a role model."
Coventry becomes the tenth person to hold the IOC President position and will remain in office for at least.
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Data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), part of the Copernicus European Environmental Monitoring Programme, shows that 411,315 hectares of forest and rural land have burned in Spain so far this year — roughly ten times more than the 42,615 hectares affected in 2024.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered a reinforcement of the “Relámpago del Catatumbo” operation, extending it to Tachira state under Peace Zone One.
North Korea has criticised the joint military exercises between the US and South Korea, with state media reporting that the drills demonstrate Washington’s intent to “occupy” the Korean peninsula and target its regional adversaries.
The Minister of Finance of Tajikistan, Faiziddin Kahhorzoda, and the Director General of the Qatar Development Fund, Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti, have signed an agreement to provide a $50 million concessionary loan to support the construction of the Rogun Hydropower Plant.
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Data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), part of the Copernicus European Environmental Monitoring Programme, shows that 411,315 hectares of forest and rural land have burned in Spain so far this year — roughly ten times more than the 42,615 hectares affected in 2024.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered a reinforcement of the “Relámpago del Catatumbo” operation, extending it to Tachira state under Peace Zone One.
North Korea has criticised the joint military exercises between the US and South Korea, with state media reporting that the drills demonstrate Washington’s intent to “occupy” the Korean peninsula and target its regional adversaries.
On Monday, Russia claimed its forces had carried out extensive strikes on Ukrainian drone bases and other military targets over the past 24 hours, while Ukraine reported having destroyed a significant amount of Russian military hardware.
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