Kirsty Coventry Makes Olympic History: Youth, Ubuntu, and a First-Round Knockout
Thomas Bach passes presidency to Kirsty Coventry, after being elected as the new IOC President on Day Two of the 144th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session on March 20, 2025 (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)
Kirsty Coventry, the first woman, African, and youngest of the candidates, has emerged victorious as the tenth President of the Olympic Committee. Some may argue this outcome was predictable, given that Thomas Bach had selected her as his successor. While Bach's endorsement played a pivotal role, something else must have influenced those who decided to place their bet on her in the first round of voting, an outcome that many of the most experienced Olympic commentators deemed impossible. Coventry secured 49 votes out of 97, followed by S...