Kirsty Coventry becomes first woman to lead International Olympic Committee

Zimbabwean also first African president of the body after beating six other candidates to succeed Thomas Bach

Kirsty Coventry is a two-time Olympic swimming champion. AFP

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

At 41, the two-time Olympic swimming champion is also the youngest ever person elected to the most powerful position in sports governance.

Coventry succeeds the German Thomas Bach, who steps down after 12 years, and told her fellow IOC members she would work with the six other heavyweight rivals she beat in the election.

"This is an extraordinary moment. As a nine-year-old girl I never thought that I would be standing up here one day, getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours," Coventry said.

"This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride, with the values at the core and I will make all of you very, very proud and, I hope, extremely confident in the decision you've taken today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Coventry, who was strongly believed to be Bach's favoured candidate, was thought to be in a tight-run race with IOC veteran Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior and World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe.

However, to general surprise the race was over after the first round of voting. A majority of the IOC members placed their faith in her to meet the serious challenges that lie ahead.

Coventry received 49 of the 97 votes possible, with Samaranch obtaining 28 and Coe third with eight votes. Samaranch was bidding to emulate his father of the same name who led the Olympic movement for 21 years and World Athletics president Coe was seeking to become the first Briton.

Thomas Bach holds up the name of Kirsty Coventry as she is announced as the new IOC President. AP

Ski federation chief Johan Eliasch, Morinari Watanabe, president of the international gymnastics federation, cycling head David Lappartient and Prince Feisal Al Hussein were the other four candidates.

On Monday, Bach refused to be drawn on whether he backed Coventry, saying only that a new era "requires new leaders".

Coventry said during her campaign that if she won it would be a huge moment for Africa as it would show "we're ready to lead". She will take over a financially secure IOC but those calm waters are muddied by a difficult geopolitical situation.

Coventry will have to deal with US President Donald Trump as Los Angeles hosts the next Summer Olympics in 2028.

Samaranch Junior had argued that in this "very complex world", where previously undisputed truths such as "universality, fraternity and unity" are now questioned, it was no time to take a leap in the dark.

Prince Feisal Al Hussein during the IOC election in Athens. Reuters

The 65-year-old Spaniard, an assured and polished performer with over two decades as an IOC member, argued he would provide the steady hand at the tiller that is required.

"It is not about the face or the gender, or the continent," he told AFP. But IOC members chose a new face.

Coe appeared to be seen by Bach as the disruptor candidate, which is perhaps surprising given many would view him as an establishment figure.

His low score will be a bitter blow to the two-time 1,500 metres Olympic champion whose is accustomed to success. Coe, 68, oversaw the highly-praised London Olympics of 2012 and has been credited with reforming track and field's global body since becoming president in 2015.

Coe argued the IOC needs to do more "to create true and genuine commercial partners out of our athletes".

One of the major problems the new president will face will be the return to the Olympic fold of Russia. In Paris last year their athletes were forced to compete under a neutral banner, owing to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.