Olympics-Being first African and first female to lead IOC is a powerful signal, says Coventry

By Karolos Grohmann

PYLOS, Greece, March 20 (Reuters) - Being the first woman and first African to be elected president of the International Olympic Committee sends a positive message, Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry said on Thursday.

The 41-year-old swimming great emerged victorious in the battle to replace Thomas Bach, securing the top job in world sport and ushering in a new era for the Games after securing an absolute majority in the first round of voting.

"It's a really powerful signal. It's a signal that we're truly global and that we have evolved into an organisation that is truly open to diversity and we're going to continue walking that road in the next eight years," Coventry said.

She will take up her role on June 24, just over three years before the Los Angeles Summer Games and less than eight months before the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

"Right now we're going to come together. I'm going to sit down with President Bach. We're going to have a few months for a handover takeover," Coventry said.

"And what I want to focus on is bringing all the candidates together. There were so many good ideas and exchanges over the last six months.

"I'd really like to leverage off of that and then really bring everyone back together and have a reset. I have some ideas, but a part of my campaign was listening to the IOC members and hearing what they have to say and hearing how we want to move together."

Coventry said the Olympic Games were a perfect platform to showcase unity and tolerance.

"The IOC and the Olympic movement have lasted so many generations because it brings people together and the diversity is a unifying way for us to connect with each other," she explained.

"So right now in today's world, this is our biggest platform to showcase the good of humanity and to share our values as the Olympic movement.

"So Milano Cortina is going to be extremely important in today's world where we are very divided and so is LA. You all saw how Paris (2024) ignited a common ground, a common understanding."