PYLOS, Greece – Kirsty Coventry, a national champion at Auburn and International Swimming Hall of Fame member, has been elected president of the International Olympic Committee it was announced on Thursday.
"This is not just a huge honor but it is a reminder of my commitment to every single one of you that I will lead this organization with so much pride, with the Values at the core,” said Coventry. “I will make all of you very, very proud, and hopefully extremely confident in the decision that you have taken today. Now we've got some work together. This race was an incredible race and it made us better, made us a stronger Movement."
Coventry will be the first woman and the first African to serve as IOC President. She will assume office after the handover from President Thomas Bach on Olympic Day, June 23.
“We congratulate Kirsty Coventry on her history-making election as IOC president,” Auburn athletic director John Cohen said. “From winning national championships and Olympic medals, to her selfless service to Zimbabwe and the International Olympic Committee, Kirsty epitomizes excellence and fairness. She’s a quintessential example of Auburn Being Auburn.”
Coventry was a standout for the Tigers the moment she walked on campus at Auburn. Helping the Orange and Blue to its first National Championship in a Women's sport in 2002, the Zimbabwe native also aided the Tigers to two more Team Titles in 2003 and 2004 and was the top individual point scorer at the 2005 Championships. In total, Coventry racked up seven national titles, 25 All-American honors, was named the SEC Swimmer of the Year as well as the conference Female Athlete of the Year in 2004-05, and picked up the Honda Sports Award in 2005, recognizing the most outstanding female swimming of the year. Her 200 back record on the Plains still stands to this day. Coventry is a 2006 College of Human Sciences graduate with a degree in hotel and restaurant management.
Upon graduating, Coventry was far from finished collecting titles. She would go on to become the most decorated Olympian from the continent of Africa, winning two gold medals, four silvers and one bronze across her illustrious career. Seven of the eight Olympic medals for Zimbabwe belong to Coventry. A five-time world record holder, she also owns eight long course World Championship medals and five from short course.
President-elect Coventry is currently an IOC Member and the Minister of Sport, Art & Recreation in Zimbabwe. She has been the country's Minister of Sport since 2018. Additionally, she served as a Vice President of the International Surfing Federation from 2017 to 2024.
The former swimmer was first elected as an IOC Member as a member of the IOC Athletes' Commission in 2013 and served in that role until 2021, when she was elected as an individual member