Kirsty Coventry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kirsty Coventry
OLY
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![]() Coventry at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics
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10th President of the International Olympic Committee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 23 June 2025 |
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Preceded by | Thomas Bach | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation of Zimbabwe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 10 September 2018 – 25 March 2025 |
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President | Emmerson Mnangagwa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy |
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Preceded by | Kazembe Kazembe Sithembiso Nyoni |
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Succeeded by | Anselem Nhamo Sanyatwe | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born |
Kirsty Leigh Coventry
16 September 1983 Harare, Zimbabwe |
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Political party | Independent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse |
Tyrone Seward
(m. 2013) |
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Children | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Auburn University (BS) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kirsty Leigh Coventry Seward (born 16 September 1983) is a famous swimmer and politician from Zimbabwe. She became the President of the IOC in June 2025. She is the first woman and the first person from Africa to hold this important position.
Before leading the IOC, Kirsty Coventry was a government minister in Zimbabwe. She served as the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation from 2018 to 2025. As an Olympic swimmer, she holds the record for the most Olympic medals won by an African athlete.
Kirsty Coventry was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. She studied and swam at Auburn University in the United States. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, she won three Olympic medals: one gold, one silver, and one bronze. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, she won four more medals: one gold and three silver.
After her amazing performance in 2008, people in Zimbabwe called her a "national treasure" and "a golden girl." She retired from swimming in 2016 after competing in five Olympic Games. She is now a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was chosen to lead the IOC Athletes' Commission in 2018.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kirsty Coventry was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 16 September 1983. She went to Dominican Convent High School, which is a private school for girls in Harare. Later, she attended Auburn University in the United States. In 2006, she earned a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Auburn.
Swimming Achievements
Early Olympic and Commonwealth Success
Kirsty Coventry first competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney while still in high school. She was the first Zimbabwean swimmer to reach the semifinals at the Olympics. She also broke national and African records in different events.
In 2002, she won a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England. Her time of 2:14.53 in the 200-meter individual medley set a new Commonwealth Games record.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Kirsty won three medals. She took home a gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke, setting a new African record. She also won a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke and a bronze medal in the 200-meter individual medley. These three medals were the only ones Zimbabwe won at those Olympics.
College Swimming Career
While studying at Auburn University in the United States, Kirsty Coventry was a key swimmer for the Tigers team. She helped them win NCAA Championships in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, she was the top individual scorer at the NCAA Championships, winning three titles. She was recognized as the best college female swimmer of the year.
World Championships Medals
Kirsty continued her success at the World Championships. In 2005, in Montreal, Canada, she won two gold medals in the 100m and 200m backstroke events. She also earned two silver medals in the 200m and 400m individual medley.
At the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, she won two silver medals. Later that year, at the 2007 All-Africa Games in Algiers, Algeria, Kirsty had an incredible performance, winning seven gold medals and three silver medals.
Breaking World Records
In 2008, Kirsty Coventry broke her first world record in the 200m backstroke. Her new record was 2:06:39. She also became one of the few women to swim the 100m backstroke in under 59 seconds.
At the 2008 FINA Short Course World Championships in Manchester, she broke two more world records. She set new records in the 400m individual medley and the 200m backstroke. She also won gold in the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley.
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
Kirsty Coventry represented Zimbabwe at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She won a silver medal in the 400m individual medley, setting a new African record. She also set a world record in the 100m backstroke semifinal, though she won silver in the final.
She won another silver in the 200m individual medley. Kirsty successfully defended her Olympic title in the 200m backstroke, winning gold with a new world record time of 2:05.24. She was the flag bearer for Zimbabwe at the closing ceremony.
Later World Championships and Olympics
At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Italy, Kirsty won a gold medal in the 200m backstroke, setting another world record. She also won a silver medal in the 400m individual medley.
Kirsty competed in her fourth Olympics at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She reached the finals in the 200m individual medley and 200m backstroke. She had the honor of carrying the Zimbabwean flag at the opening ceremony for the first time.
Her fifth and final Olympic appearance was at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She finished 6th in the 200m backstroke. She carried the Zimbabwean flag again at the opening ceremony. After these games, she retired from competitive swimming.
Political Career
On 7 September 2018, Kirsty Coventry was appointed as the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in Zimbabwe's government. She served under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In September 2023, she was re-appointed to a similar role.
Kirsty has stated that she believes in working from within the government to create change. She said, "I don't think you can stand on the sidelines and scream and shout for change. I believe you have to be seated at the table to try and create it."
Leading the International Olympic Committee
IOC Roles and Election
In 2012, Kirsty Coventry was chosen to be part of the International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission. She has been an IOC member since 2013. In 2023, she was elected to the IOC Executive Board.
In September 2024, she was announced as one of the candidates to become the next IOC president.
Becoming IOC President
On 20 March 2025, at the 144th IOC Session, Kirsty Coventry made history. She became the first woman and the first African person to be elected as the president of the IOC. She officially started her role on 23 June 2025, taking over from Thomas Bach.
Kirsty won the election on the very first vote, receiving 49 votes. She competed against six other candidates from different countries.
Election of the 10th IOC President | |||||
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Candidate | Results | ||||
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49 | ||||
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28 | ||||
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8 | ||||
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4 | ||||
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4 | ||||
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2 | ||||
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2 |
After her election, Kirsty was warmly welcomed by IOC members at the Olympic House in Lausanne on 7 April 2025.
Her Vision as President
As IOC president, Kirsty Coventry wants to make the Olympics a symbol of togetherness and fairness. She aims to ensure the Games are open to everyone, no matter their background. She believes in using sports to connect people worldwide.
Kirsty also plans to support athletes and promote fairness in sports. She has stated her support for ensuring fair competition in women's sports.
Personal Life
On 10 August 2013, Kirsty Coventry married Tyrone Seward, who had been her manager since 2010. In May 2019, they welcomed their first child.
Swimming Records and Appearances
With seven Olympic medals, Kirsty Coventry is the most decorated Olympian from Africa. When she retired, she had won the joint-most individual Olympic medals in women's swimming. She competed in five Olympic Games from 2000 to 2016. As of 2024, she has won almost all of Zimbabwe's Olympic medals.
She was honored by being inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2023.
Event | Medal | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Notes |
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200 m individual medley | ![]() |
2:14.53 | 2002 Commonwealth Games | Manchester, England | 30 July 2002 | CR |
100 m backstroke | ![]() |
1:00.50 | 2004 Summer Olympics | Athens, Greece | 16 August 2004 | AF |
200 m backstroke | ![]() |
2:09.19 | 20 August 2004 | AF | ||
200 m individual medley | ![]() |
2:12.72 | 17 August 2004 | |||
100 m backstroke | ![]() |
1:00.24 | 2005 World Aquatics Championships | Montreal, Canada | 26 July 2005 | |
200 m backstroke | ![]() |
2:08.52 | 30 July 2005 | |||
200 m individual medley | ![]() |
2:11.13 | 25 July 2005 | |||
400 m individual medley | ![]() |
4:39.72 | 31 July 2005 | |||
50 m backstroke | ![]() |
28.89 | 2007 All-African Games | Algiers, Algeria | 16 July 2007 | AF |
100 m backstroke | ![]() |
1:01.28 | 14 July 2007 | AF | ||
200 m backstroke | ![]() |
2:10.66 | 17 July 2007 | AF | ||
100 m breaststroke | ![]() |
2:10.66 | 16 July 2007 | |||
50 m freestyle | ![]() |
2:11.13 | 18 July 2007 | |||
800 m freestyle | ![]() |
8:43.89 | 14 July 2007 | AF | ||
200 m individual medley | ![]() |
2:13.02 | 18 July 2007 | AF | ||
400 m individual medley | ![]() |
4:39.91 | 12 July 2007 | AF | ||
4 × 200 m freestyle | ![]() |
8:38.20 | 14 July 2007 | NR | ||
4 × 100 m medley | ![]() |
4:21.60 | 18 July 2007 | NR | ||
200 m backstroke | ![]() |
2:07.54 | 2007 World Aquatics Championships | Melbourne, Australia | 26 March 2007 | |
200 m individual medley | ![]() |
2:10.76 | 26 March 2007 | |||
100 m backstroke | ![]() |
59.19 | 2008 Summer Olympics | Beijing, China | 12 August 2008 | WR (h) |
200 m backstroke | ![]() |
2:05.24 | 12 August 2008 | WR | ||
200 m individual medley | ![]() |
2:08.59 | 13 August 2008 | AF | ||
400 m individual medley | ![]() |
4:29.89 | 10 August 2008 | AF | ||
200 m backstroke | ![]() |
2:04.81 | 2009 World Aquatics Championships | Rome, Italy | 1 August 2009 | WR |
400 m individual medley | ![]() |
4:32.12 | 2 August 2009 | |||
100 m backstroke | ![]() |
1:00.86 | 2011 All-Africa Games | Maputo, Mozambique | 7 September 2011 | AR |
200 m backstroke | ![]() |
2:12.40 | 10 September 2011 | |||
100 m butterfly | ![]() |
1:02.20 | 8 September 2011 | |||
200 m individual medley | ![]() |
2:13.70 | 9 September 2011 | |||
400 m individual medley | ![]() |
4:44.34 | 5 September 2011 | |||
4 × 100 m freestyle | ![]() |
3:57.81 | 7 September 2011 | |||
4 × 200 m freestyle | ![]() |
8:42.23 | 5 September 2011 | |||
4 × 100 m medley | ![]() |
4:24.01 | 10 September 2011 | |||
100 m backstroke | ![]() |
1:01.15 | 2015 African Games | Brazzaville, Republic of Congo | 8 September 2015 | AR |
200 m backstroke | ![]() |
2:13.29 | 11 September 2015 | |||
200 m individual medley | ![]() |
2:16.05 | 10 September 2015 |
Records not set in finals: h – heat; sf – semifinal; r – relay 1st leg; rh – relay heat 1st leg; b – B final; † – en route to final mark; tt – time trial
See also
In Spanish: Kirsty Coventry para niños
- World record progression 100 metres backstroke
- World record progression 200 metres backstroke
- List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)