Kirsty Coventry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Kirsty Coventry OLY
Coventry at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics
President-elect of the International Olympic Committee
Assuming office 23 June 2025
Succeeding	Thomas Bach
Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 September 2018
President	Emmerson Mnangagwa
Deputy	Yeukai Simbanegavi Emily Jesaya
Preceded by	Kazembe Kazembe Sithembiso Nyoni
Personal details
Born	Kirsty Leigh Coventry (1983-09-16) 16 September 1983 (age 41) Harare, Zimbabwe
Political party	Independent
Spouse	Tyrone Seward
Children	2
Alma mater	Auburn University (BS)
Personal information Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) Weight 64 kg (141 lb; 10.1 st) Sport Sport Swimming Strokes Backstroke, individual medley Club Longhorn Aquatics College team Auburn University Coach Sharon Freeman, Dean Price, Kim Brackin, David Marsh Medal record Women's swimming Representing  Zimbabwe Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens 200 m backstroke Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m backstroke Silver 2004 Athens 100 m backstroke Silver 2008 Beijing 100 m backstroke Silver 2008 Beijing 200 m medley Silver 2008 Beijing 400 m medley Bronze 2004 Athens 200 m medley World Championships (LC) Gold 2005 Montreal 100 m backstroke Gold 2005 Montreal 200 m backstroke Gold 2009 Rome 200 m backstroke Silver 2005 Montreal 200 m medley Silver 2005 Montreal 400 m medley Silver 2007 Melbourne 200 m backstroke Silver 2007 Melbourne 200 m medley Silver 2009 Rome 400 m medley World Championships (SC) Gold 2008 Manchester 400 m medley Gold 2008 Manchester 100 m backstroke Gold 2008 Manchester 200 m backstroke Gold 2008 Manchester 200 m medley Bronze 2008 Manchester 100 m medley Commonwealth Games Gold 2002 Manchester 200 m medley All-Africa Games Gold 2007 Algiers 50 m freestyle Gold 2007 Algiers 800 m freestyle Gold 2007 Algiers 50 m backstroke Gold 2007 Algiers 100 m backstroke Gold 2007 Algiers 200 m backstroke Gold 2007 Algiers 200 m medley Gold 2007 Algiers 400 m medley Gold 2011 Maputo 100 m backstroke Gold 2011 Maputo 200 m backstroke Gold 2011 Maputo 200 m medley Gold 2011 Maputo 400 m medley Gold 2015 Brazzaville 100 m backstroke Gold 2015 Brazzaville 200 m backstroke Gold 2015 Brazzaville 200 m medley Silver 2007 Algiers 100 m breaststroke Silver 2007 Algiers 4 × 100 m medley Silver 2007 Algiers 4 × 200 m freestyle Silver 2011 Maputo 100 m butterfly Silver 2011 Maputo 4 × 100 m medley Silver 2011 Maputo 4 × 100 m freestyle Silver 2011 Maputo 4 × 200 m freestyle Bronze 2015 Brazzaville 4 × 100 m mixed medley

Kirsty Leigh Coventry Seward (born 16 September 1983) is a famous swimmer, politician, and sports leader from Zimbabwe. She is known as the most decorated Olympian from Africa. She has won more Olympic medals than any other African athlete!

Kirsty will soon become the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2025. This is a huge deal because she will be the first woman and the first person from Africa to hold this important position. She will officially start her role on 24 June, taking over from Thomas Bach. Currently, Kirsty is also serving as the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in Zimbabwe since September 2018.

Kirsty was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. She swam competitively for 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 even more, with one gold and three silver medals. People in Zimbabwe called her "our national treasure" and "a golden girl."

In 2016, Kirsty stopped competing in swimming after her fifth Olympics. She had won the most individual medals in women's swimming in Olympic history, tied with another great swimmer. She is now a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 2018, she was chosen to lead the IOC Athletes' Commission, which represents all Olympic athletes around the world. On 20 March 2025, she made history again by being elected as the next president of the IOC.

Kirsty's Amazing Swimming Journey

Early Olympic Success: 2000 and 2004

Kirsty started making waves in swimming early on. In 2000, while still in high school, she became the first swimmer from Zimbabwe to reach the semifinals at the Olympic Games. Because of her talent, she was named Zimbabwe's Sports Woman of the Year.

At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Kirsty truly shined. She won three medals, including a gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke.

College Swimming Career

Kirsty studied at Auburn University in the United States. There, she helped her college team win national championships in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, she was the top individual scorer at the NCAA Championships, winning three titles. She was also named the College Swimming Coaches Association Swimmer of the Meet.

She received other important awards, like the 2005 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Swimmer of the Year. She also won the 2004–05 Honda Sports Award for Swimming and Diving, which recognized her as the best college female swimmer of the year. In 2006, she graduated with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management.

World Championships: 2005 and 2007

At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, Kirsty won even more medals than at the 2004 Olympics. She earned gold medals in both the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events. She also won silver medals in the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley races. Her amazing performance helped Zimbabwe rank third in the medal count among all nations. She was also named the female swimmer of the meet.

In Melbourne at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, Kirsty continued her success. She won silver medals in the 200-meter backstroke and 200-meter individual medley. She also won four gold medals at an international swim meet in Japan that year.

Breaking Records in 2008

The year 2008 was a big one for Kirsty. She broke her first world record in the 200-meter backstroke at the Missouri Grand Prix. Her new record was 2:06:39, beating a record that had stood since 1991! She also won the 100-meter backstroke and 200-meter individual medley at that meet.

At the 2008 FINA Short Course World Championships in Manchester, Kirsty broke her second world record. She set a new time of 4:26:52 in the 400-meter individual medley. She won three more gold medals at these championships, setting new championship records. She was recognized as the FINA Female Swimmer of the Championships for her incredible swims.

Beijing Olympics 2008

Kirsty proudly represented Zimbabwe at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She won a silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley, setting a new African record. She also set a new world record in the 100-meter backstroke semifinals. In the finals, she won silver in the 100-meter backstroke and 200-meter individual medley.

Kirsty successfully defended her Olympic title in the 200-meter backstroke, winning gold and setting a new world record time of 2:05.24! After her amazing success at the Olympics, she received money from the President of Zimbabwe, which she generously gave to charity.

Later World Championships and Olympics

At the 2009 World Championships in Rome, Kirsty won another gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke, setting a new world record. She also took home a silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley.

Kirsty competed in her fourth Olympics at the 2012 Olympics in London. She reached the finals in the 200-meter individual medley and the 200-meter backstroke, finishing sixth in both.

Her fifth and final Olympic appearance was at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She again finished sixth in the 200-meter backstroke. After these games, Kirsty officially retired from competitive swimming.

Kirsty's Role in Politics

On 7 September 2018, Kirsty Coventry was appointed as the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in Zimbabwe. She works in the government under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. In September 2023, she was re-appointed to this important role.

Leading the International Olympic Committee

In 2012, Kirsty was elected to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes' Commission. This group helps represent the voices of athletes around the world. She has been an IOC member for many years. In 2023, she became an elected member of the IOC Executive Committee.

In September 2024, it was announced that she was one of the candidates to become the next IOC president. On 20 March 2025, at the 144th IOC Session, Kirsty made history. She became the first woman and the first person from Africa to be elected as president of the IOC. This is a huge achievement for her and for sports globally.

Personal Life

Kirsty Coventry went to Dominican Convent High School, Harare in Zimbabwe. On 10 August 2013, she married Tyrone Seward, who had been her manager. In May 2019, they welcomed their first child.

Kirsty's Swimming Achievements

Kirsty Coventry is the most decorated Olympian from Africa, meaning she has won the most Olympic medals of any African athlete. She has seven Olympic medals in total. When she retired, she was tied with Krisztina Egerszegi for winning the most individual Olympic medals in women's swimming. This record has since been equaled by Katie Ledecky. Kirsty competed in five Olympic Games from 2000 to 2016. She won all but one of Zimbabwe's Olympic medals!

In 2023, she was honored by being added to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Medals at Major Competitions

• 2002 Commonwealth Games: Gold in 200 m Individual Medley.
• 2004 Olympic Games: Gold in 200 m Backstroke, Silver in 100 m Backstroke, Bronze in 200 m Individual Medley.
• 2005 World Championships: Gold in 100 m Backstroke, Gold in 200 m Backstroke, Silver in 200 m Individual Medley, Silver in 400 m Individual Medley.
• 2007 All-Africa Games: 7 Gold medals (200 m IM, 400 m IM, 50 m freestyle, 800 m freestyle, 50 m backstroke, 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke) and 3 Silver medals (100 m breaststroke, 4 × 100 m medley, 4 × 200 m freestyle).
• 2007 World Championships: Silver in 200 m Backstroke, Silver in 200 m Individual Medley.
• 2008 Olympic Games: Gold in 200 m Backstroke (World Record), Silver in 400 m Individual Medley (African Record), Silver in 100 m Backstroke (World Record in semis), Silver in 200 m Individual Medley (African Record).
• 2009 World Championships: Gold in 200 m Backstroke (World Record), Silver in 400 m Individual Medley.
• 2011 All-Africa Games: 4 Gold medals (200 m IM, 400 m IM, 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke) and 4 Silver medals (100 m butterfly, 4 × 100 m medley, 4 × 100 m freestyle, 4 × 200 m freestyle).
• 2015 All-Africa Games: 3 Gold medals (100 m Backstroke, 200 m Backstroke, 200 m Individual Medley).

Images for kids

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  Kirsty Coventry in 2009

See also

• World record progression 100 metres backstroke
• World record progression 200 metres backstroke
• List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (women)