Kirsi Kovantry, head of the International Olympic Committee, was elected to become the first woman and the first African to lead the Olympic Authority

Kirsty Coventry was elected head of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday and became the first woman and the first African to obtain the largest job in global sport.

“It is an indication that we are really global,” said Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister and Golden Calendar for Olympic Swimming.

She had an amazing victory in the first round of the seven candidates’ competition after voting by 97 members of the International Olympic Committee.

She got an eight-year authorization until 2033 ages between only 41-young people according to the historical standards of IOC.

This was the most open presidential election that was difficult to call for decades, as Coventry is expected to lead the first round of the absolute majority. Although several rounds of votes were widely predicted, they got the vast majority of 49.

Coventry’s victory was also a victory for the president of the Olympic Committee, his term Thomas Bach, who was long being seen as succeeding her. He did not use his right to vote.

“The little girl who started swimming in Zimbabwe throughout these years, she could not dream of this moment,” Coventry said in her acceptance speech.

“I am especially proud to be the first president of the IOC program and also the first of Africa,” she added. “I hope this vote will be a source of inspiration for many people. Glass ceilings have been destroyed today, and I fully realize my responsibilities as a role model.”

“I will all make you very proud, and we hope they are very confident in the decision I made. Now we have some work together.”

She walked to the podium, was congratulated and accepted on both the cheeks by Juan Antonio Samaranech, and the closest expected competitor, who got 28 votes.

Also in the race, there were four presidents of the sporting government agencies: the path, Sebastian Coe, Morenari Watanabi of skiing, Cycling’s David Lappartient, and Gymnastics Morinari Watanabe. Prince Weissal Al -Hussein was also from Jordan.

Coventry will replace its Bach on June 23-the official Olympic day-head of the tenth IOC in its 131-year-old history. Bach has reached the maximum of 12 years in the office.

“We are celebrating the election of Kirsi as head of the Latin state and immigration, and it expects impatiently to cooperate with it while it is directing the Olympic movement to the future,” the US Olympic Committee said in a statement. “As an Olympic and a member of IOC, Kirsty has shown a strong commitment to progress in global sport and create opportunities for athletes. We are looking forward to a transformational contract for the Olympic Sports and isovioral sport in the United States – we want to be a necessity in the forefront and support, the support will be necessary to achieve our common goals.”

The challenges facing the Olympic Games

The main challenges of the 41 -year -old Oborn University will direct the Olympic Movement through political and sports issues towards 2028 Summer Games in Los AngelesIncluding engaging in diplomacy with US President Donald Trump.

IOC from Coventry will also need to find a 2036 summer gaming host that can go to India or the Middle East.

It seems that the most powerful candidate in a five-month campaign with rules that are tightly controlled by IOC, led by Bach Kofnitry-who recently gave birth to her second child-Vice-Chairman of the Olympic Committee, Samarans and COE.

Coventry’s statement Mostly, Bach continuity with a few new details was often offered, while her competitors have details in favor of Olympic athletes, which were recently like 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

In her statement, Coventry wrote that she “will continue to give priority to mental health (athletes”, physical recovery, and amplify their comprehensive well -being to help them with prosperity throughout their sporting life and beyond. ”

Coe’s World Athletics broke the Olympic taboos by paying $ 50,000 to track and gold medals in Paris last year. Samranch promised to relax IOC’s strict commercial rules and give athletes to control footage of their Olympic offers.

Samarang tried to follow his father, also Juan Antonio Samarans, who was the seventh president of IOC from 1980 to 2001.

COE aims to add a wonderful profession of Olympic victories: holds the Olympic Gold medal twice in the 1500 -meter race, and led a defending team for the London Olympics for the year 2012, then worked over the next seven years to head the organized team of those games that have extensively extension. He only got eight votes.

It was a great week for Bach, who received Coventry and shared warm smiles after the admission letter.

Bach was recruited on Wednesday at an emotional start for the annual meeting of the International Olympic Committee, and he obtained a luxurious praise and the honorary president’s address for life. Repeat his desire to advise the next president.

He will provide more than 8 billion dollars in the CEO of IOC, on the right track to earn more than $ 8 billion of revenues during the La 2028 Olympics, and with a list of future hosts until 2034: in Italy, United States, France, Australia and finally again, when the Salt Lake games returns to the Solt Lake.

Bach’s distinguished policy was also a gender equal, with equal classes of athletes and women at the Paris 2024 Olympics and provides a better balance with members of the International Olympic Committee and the Executive Council that he heads, which now has seven of its fifteen members, including Coventry.

On Thursday, her victory will add Bach legitimacy to promote women.

Coventry won a consecutive title in the 200 -meter race at the 2004 Athens Olympics and Beijing after four years. She joined the International Olympic Committee in 2013, almost a year after a disputed sports elections at the London Olympics. Its place was granted among the four elected athletes after the arbitration court for sports rulings against two opponents.

The next president can oversee IOC’s choice to clarify the statement of his host of summer games 2036.

“There is only one and only one,” Samarans said on Wednesday when asked about the upcoming challenges. “We must focus (on) successful and relevant Olympic Games. The rest comes with success in the games.”

Among the voters of the exclusive club Aust for IOC members are members of the royal family, former lawmakers, diplomats, business leaders, sports officials and Olympic athletes. Even an Oscar -winning actress, Michelle Yuh.

Voice of the members without hearing more presentations from the candidates in the elections swinging on a secret network of friendships and alliances that were largely formed from view.