As Kirsty Coventry prepares to make history as the first female and first African president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) President Christopher Samuda is confident that she has what it takes to rise to the occasion, even in the face of inevitable challenges.
Coventry, a two-time Olympic swimming champion from Zimbabwe, was elected as the IOC’s 10th president on Thursday, as she secured 49 of the 97 votes cast. She defeated six other candidates, including fellow frontrunners Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. and Lord Sebastian Coe, and will officially assume office on June 24, succeeding Thomas Bach after his 12-year tenure.
For Samuda, Coventry’s election is a watershed moment—not just for gender and geographic representation but for the evolution of the Olympic Movement itself.
"The campaigning is now over, and what lies before her are a plethora of expectations from members, national Olympic committees, countries, and stakeholders who are not only looking for her to deliver but for deliverance,” Samuda said.
"The LA 2028 Summer Olympic Games will be the greatest test of her ability to govern strategically and inclusively—to manage personalities, divergent opinions, doubting Thomases, intemperate aspirations, policy issues, political overtones, gender matters, events, experiences, success, and of course, its nemesis… failure," he told SportsMax.Tv.
Outgoing president Thomas Bach
Coventry’s journey to this historic moment has been nothing short of extraordinary. She became an IOC member in 2013 through the athletes’ commission and joined the executive board a decade later. As an athlete, she is responsible for seven of Zimbabwe’s eight Olympic medals, which made her a beacon of inspiration not only for her nation but for aspiring Olympians worldwide.
Samuda believes Coventry’s athletic background and administrative experience will serve her well, but he is under no illusions about the complexity of the task ahead. Before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, she will have a dress rehearsal of sorts at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy.
"There will be no time for costume speeches and backstage jitters. It’s now the real deal on center stage, and only purposeful and inspiring action with meaningful outcomes on that premier presidential platform will suffice,” Samuda noted.
"She undoubtedly has the credentials and now has the opportunity to rewrite her résumé in creating a precedent on which others will be judged—and on which history will judge her," he said.
Lord Sebastian Coe secured only eight votes.
At 41, Coventry will be the second-youngest IOC president ever, after Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, who took office at 33. In her acceptance speech, she acknowledged the significance of her election, expressing pride in breaking barriers as both the first woman and the first African to hold the prestigious position.
“I hope that this vote will be an inspiration to many people. Glass ceilings have been shattered today, and I am fully aware of my responsibilities as a role model," Coventry said.
Samuda echoes that sentiment.
"The jury has begun to deliberate, and its verdict will be a measure of the evidence of her accomplishments. I am absolutely confident that she will impress and she will deliver," Samuda ended.