Kirsty Coventry: the former Olympian and first woman to lead the IOC

Kirsty Coventry broke several barriers when she became the president of the International Olympic Committee on Monday, as she is both the first woman and first African person to hold the position. Coventry's election to run the IOC shouldn't come as much of a surprise given her long history in Olympic athletics as a former competitive swimmer. But she will also be taking over an IOC with several looming questions, which could make her tenure as president a crucial one.

Coventry's career

Coventry, 41, was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and learned to swim at a young age. After high school, she accepted a scholarship to swim for Auburn University in Alabama and continued honing her skills in the water, according to the South African swim history database.

The athlete went on to compete in swimming events at five Olympics, winning two gold medals, four silver medals and one bronze medal. This makes Coventry the "most decorated Olympian from Africa, having won seven of Zimbabwe's eight Olympic medals to date," said Business Insider Africa. Coventry is also a five-time world record holder, according to her alma mater.

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IOC president

As Coventry settles into her new role, she will be "expected to move quickly to shape the organization," said the Sports Business Journal. This includes focusing on commercial evolution and sponsorship deals for the Olympics, as the "media landscape fragments and sponsors seek greater involvement to leverage their assets." Spearheading the next decade of Olympic Games is also a priority, with hosts for the Summer and Winter Games set through 2034.

The most pressing matter will likely involve dealing with the Olympics on the world stage, especially regarding controversial issues. This includes questions over gender roles, as the "first Summer Games under a female presidency will be the first with a majority of athlete quota places for women," said The Associated Press. Coventry "often states the importance of 'Olympic Values,' which include gender parity, inclusion and inspiring young people through sports," which she will likely prioritize during her tenure.

But Coventry has also taken less clear stances on other matters; when "asked whether she thinks trans women should be allowed to compete in women's competitions, she was evasive," said Deutsche Welle. She also "avoided going too far out on a limb on another hot topic before the IOC election: the possibility of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing at the Olympics." Russian athletes have been banned from competing under the Russian flag since 2017, and the Russian Olympic Committee has been suspended since 2023. At "some point in Coventry's presidency, Russia could possibly return fully to the Olympic family," but it is "unclear exactly when," said the AP.

As she gets started on her to-do list, Coventry "may end up being a lot more independent and interesting" than the IOC was expecting, said The Guardian. While the new president is "likely to enjoy a honeymoon period, she knows there are landmines lurking everywhere." Even the "biggest of beasts would struggle to lead a mammoth organization that not only runs the Olympics but is a cheerleader, funder and regulator for much of sport."

But Coventry is up for the challenge. "The way in which I like to lead is with collaboration," she told reporters. "All those people who may look at me and see one thing, kind of excites me. Because I think that they won't see what is coming."