Kirsty Coventry becomes first female and first African IOC president

Kirsty Coventry was elected as the 10th president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday, making history as the first woman and the first African to lead the global Olympic movement.

The election was conducted through a secret ballot by over 100 IOC members during the 144th IOC Session in Greece. The 41-year-old Zimbabwean, who won the vote in the first round, will officially take office after June 23, succeeding Thomas Bach, who has served as president since 2013.

In the first round of voting, a total of 97 valid ballots were cast since IOC members from a candidate's National Olympic Committee (NOC) were not eligible to vote. Coventry received 49 votes, securing the majority from the valid votes needed for the election. Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. finished second with 28 votes.

Coventry's presidency is set for an eight-year term, with the possibility of seeking a four-year extension.

At the first press conference after her election, Coventry highlighted that the bond between the international sports governing body and China is very strong, and she vows to strengthen the relationships with every single member.

"The relationship between the IOC and China is very strong, it always has been and we will continue that way. For the IOC, we represent 206 national Olympic Committees and many different international federations so the relationships with every single individual is extremely important. And that would be something I would take my time with over the next few months, then again also with the IOC members. So the entire stakeholder group will be able to take time to really get to know each other and to strengthen on those relationships," Coventry said.

A former Olympic swimming champion, Coventry is one of Africa's most decorated athletes, having won seven Olympic medals, including two golds. She has been an IOC member since 2013 and also served as chair of the IOC Athletes' Commission, where she played a crucial role in advocating for athletes' rights and welfare.

"I would like to congratulate Mrs. Kirsty Coventry for her election as the 10th president of the IOC. I think she will have a very strong mandate with this clear winning of the first round, which is also giving a great signal of unity for the Olympic movement," Bach said after the election.

Other candidates also expressed their support for Coventry's leadership.

"It will give her a very very strong, extremely strong support from the IOC membership to start her presidency. So I think it's a good result," said Samaranch Jr.

"About the next step is to work with the president, so I congratulate Kirsty Coventry, she has done an amazing campaign. The result is clear, so I just told her that we will be behind her," said David Lappartient, another candidate.

Coventry has served as Zimbabwe's Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation since 2018, where she has focused on developing grassroots sports initiatives and enhancing opportunities for young people across the country to engage in sports.

The 144th IOC Session also saw the election of Pierre-Olivier Beckers-Vieujant as new vice president and the confirmation of boxing as part of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics program.

Kirsty Coventry becomes first female and first African IOC president

Kirsty Coventry becomes first female and first African IOC president

Kirsty Coventry becomes first female and first African IOC president

Asian youths are bringing attention to the unique green lifestyles and environmental philosophies of their home countries, highlighting their significant impact on daily life and advocating for their broader global adoption.

These themes align closely with the agenda of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025, which will be held from March 25 to 28 in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. With the theme "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future," this year's event focuses on development, foster dialogue, explore innovative formats and emphasize tangible outcomes, all aimed at promoting international development and cooperation.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), several Asian youths studying in China were invited to discuss their countries' green lifestyles and environmental concepts.

"Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, but Kyrgyzstan has huge resources of ground and surface water, with substantial reserves in rivers, eternal ice and snow tracks. These water resources play a crucial role in supporting agriculture, hydropower generation, and providing drinking water to the population," said Adel Baktygulova, a Kyrgyz student.

"In Indonesia, we have this culture of wrapping our food and banana leaf and also brown paper. This practice is especially common in Padang food, which is a traditional food from West Sumatra. I think this practice can definitely be implemented in China. Instead of wrapping our food in plastic, we could change into something a more biodegradable material such as banana leaf," said Celia Annetta, an Indonesian student.

"With a profound awareness of the consequences of climate change, many Vietnamese youths are choosing green lifestyle by introducing innovative approaches to good productions and embracing eco-friendly products. Green and recycled materials are gaining momentum in Vietnam, driven by the passions of young individuals committed to contributing to a sustainable and eco-friendly society. The rise of startups in Vietnam focusing on eco-friendly products, such as daily essentials stationery and clothing made from bamboo, grass and recycled materials, is a testament to the creativity and determinations of young entrepreneurs," said Do Pham Ngoc Die, a Vietnamese student.

Then students also shared the green technologies or environmental concepts they have encountered in China.

"When I first came to China, I saw a lot of electrical buses, cars, common shared bikes, and I was impressed by the amount of it. Because in Kyrgyzstan, just in a few recent years we started to pay attention and promote green energy more. But also recycling system was a new habit for me, I started to practicing this while I'm studying and living in China because recycling is not common back home," said Adel Baktygulova.

"One notable example is the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Cities like Beijing and Shanghai have seen a rapid increase in the use of electric buses, taxis, and private cars," Do Pham Ngoc Die said.

"Most motorcycles I've seen here are E-bikes instead of fuel powered bikes. Indonesia is also a bike heavy country, with 123 million bikes on the road as of 2023. If we could switch to E-bikes instead of fuel powered bikes, I think it could definitely make a big difference on our air pollution and making our environment cleaner," said Celia Annetta.

Asian youths highlight green lifestyles ahead of upcoming Boao Forum