Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister, Kirsty Coventry, has been appointed as the new president of the International Olympic Committee.
The former Olympic gold medalist Kirsty Coventry succeeds Germany’s Thomas Bach, who led the International Olympic Committee since 2013, becoming the first woman, the first African, and the youngest person to assume the role.
World Athletics chief Lord Coe was considered a frontrunner in Thursday’s election in Greece, but Coventry secured a decisive victory in the first round, winning 49 out of the 97 available votes.
Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. finished as the runner-up with 28 votes, while Lord Coe received eight.
France’s David Lappartient and Japan’s Morinari Watanabe each received four votes, while Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan and Sweden’s Johan Eliasch secured two votes apiece.
Already a member of the IOC executive board and reportedly Thomas Bach’s preferred successor, Coventry becomes the 10th person to hold the highest office in sport, set to serve a term of at least eight years.
Coventry has won seven of Zimbabwe’s eight Olympic medals including gold in the 200m backstroke at both the 2004 and 2008 Games.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Christian Kobby Quarshie
