The COC posted on its Facebook profile: “Congratulations to Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry on her election as president of the International Olympic Committee, which for the first time will be led by a woman.”

“Confident that her imprint will greatly contribute to international sport, we wish her success, with the commitment to continue contributing in every way we can. We also welcome the election of German Thomas Bach, president since 2013, as Honorary Life President,” the COC added in its message.

Meanwhile, on social media, Vento Montiller, head of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (Inder), wrote: “With best wishes for success, we congratulate Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry, the first woman and representative of the African continent elected to the presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”

Coventry, 41, and Olympic champion in the 200m backstroke at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Games, received a total of 49 votes from the 97 IOC members who participated in the election, which took place in the Greek town of Costa Navarino.

While the day before, a close vote was expected, and even the need for several rounds, the election was decided in a single round against all odds, as Coventry had the backing of Bach himself and received the support of the other female members of the IOC, as well as the other African representatives.

The former swimmer led Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. (28) by 19 votes, while the remaining candidates were far behind: Briton Sebastian Coe (eight), Japanese Morinari Watanabe (four), Frenchman David Lappartient (four), Swedish businessman Johan Eliasch (two), and Jordanian Prince Feisal Al Hussein (two).

ef/jha/jcm