Big week for Coventry

Eddie Chikamhi

Zimpapers Sports Hub

A HISTORIC week beckons for Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sport, Arts and Recreation, Kirsty Coventry, who is vying for the powerful position of International Olympic Committee (IOC) president.

The eagerly awaited IOC elections will take place during the 144th IOC Session in Greece beginning this Tuesday and ending on Thursday.

Interestingly, Greece is the place where she first won her Olympic medals in 2004, and the journey back to the European country this week is quite symbolic.

“It’s very symbolic,” she told journalists recently. “I won three medals in Athens in 2004, so I’m extremely excited to be coming to Greece for this big moment. And I still have my olive wreaths very proudly displayed.”

Coventry is one of the seven candidates shortlisted for the ballot.

She faces competition from fellow candidates — Prince Feisal al Hussein (president of the Jordan Olympic Committee), Sebastian Coe (of Great Britain, president of World Athletics), Johan Eliasch (Swedish-British national, who is the president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation), David Lappartient (president of the International Cycling Union and the French National Olympic and Sports Committee), Juan Antonio Samaranch (an IOC vice-president from Spain) and Morinari Watanabe (president of the International Gymnastics Federation, from Japan).

At 41 years, Coventry is the youngest candidate in the race to replace outgoing IOC president Thomas Bach.

She is looking forward to breaking the glass ceiling by becoming both the first woman and first African to be elected to the position in the organisation’s 131 years of existence.

The IOC have had 10 presidents since their formation in 1894, with nine coming from Europe and one from America.

Coventry is a decorated Olympian and astute administrator, and her candidature is huge for the continent.

“I am deeply honoured to present myself as a candidate to lead our extraordinary organisation. My motivation is to give back to the movement that has given me so much and allowed me to be who I am today,” she said.

Coventry has demonstrated her leadership qualities within the IOC and various other sports bodies.

She was first elected to the IOC as a member of the Athletes’ Commission in 2013, then as an individual member in 2021.

She is currently serving on the IOC Executive Board and leading the IOC commissions monitoring the progress of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics and 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

She has also been Zimbabwe’s Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture since September 2018.

Coventry’s manifesto is titled “Unleashing the Transformative Power of Sport . . . A Stronger, Sustainable, Relevant Olympic Movement”.

The manifesto has five key priorities that include harnessing the power of sport; maximising collaboration and engagement; strengthening partnerships for mutual growth; championing sustainable development; and advancing credibility and trust.

“My manifesto, as most of you have seen, is all based on the ‘Ubuntu’ philosophy, which is, ‘I am because we are’, and I know that I’ve only ever been successful because of the people and the team around me, and that would be how I would want to lead.

“I would like to ensure that the members are not just being heard but are actually being quite active and sharing their experience and their knowledge.”

Coventry has emphasised leveraging digital platforms and AI-powered tools to connect with younger, tech-savvy audiences and expand the Olympic brand’s global reach.

Coming from a modest background in Zimbabwe, she has had a successful stint as an Olympian, winning seven medals (two gold, four silver and one bronze) across five Olympic Games — Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

The feat places her in the annals of history as Africa’s most-decorated Olympian.

She has also perfected the balance between her responsibilities with motherhood.

“Yes, I have a young family, as do a few other candidates, but when I had my first baby — she’s now turning six in May — I was leading the Athletes Commission, I was appointed minister, I was running my foundation and numerous things,” she said.

“And before she was one, she had been to 10 different countries around the world. I have an incredible network of support from my husband and family, and Lily, the newest addition to the family, has already been to five countries, so we’re on a record streak here.

“This is a normal way of life for us, and I think it’s a good way to show that women are just as capable as men, even if we are expected to be full-time mothers, wives, daughters, etc.”