International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry (Left) receives the key from outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach during a handover ceremony at Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, on June 23, 2025. Zimbabwean swimmer who won seven Olympic medals, Kirsty Coventry, becomes the first woman to lead the Olympic movement. Photo: VCG

New International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry pledged on Monday, International Olympic Day, to strengthen and extend the reach of the Olympic Games, as the Zimbabwe's Olympic swimming champion took over from Thomas Bach in a ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Coventry starts her eight-year spell officially on Tuesday. At the changeover, she was handed the golden key to the iconic Olympic House by Bach, who was in charge for 12 years. 

"I am really honored I get to walk this journey with you. I cannot wait for everything that lies ahead," Coventry said during the ceremony. "I know I have the best team to support me and our movement over the next eight years."

The 41-year-old thus becomes the first woman and first African to lead the Olympic governing body.

During Coventry's first term, Italy's  Milan-Cortina will host the 2026 Winter Games, while Los Angeles in the US will host the 2028 Summer Olympics. Coventry has scheduled a two-day workshop this week with the IOC Executive Board to get feedback from members on key IOC issues.

"Coventry has invited the Members to take part in this consultation, which has the theme of 'Pause and Reflect,' with the aim of helping to shape a new roadmap for the Olympic Movement," the IOC said in a statement published on its website.

A seven-time Olympic medalist, Coventry won women's 200-meter backstroke gold medals at the 2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Stepping down after a turbulent 12-year tenure, Bach expressed his confidence that the Olympic movement was "in the best of hands" and that Coventry would bring "conviction, integrity and a dynamic perspective" to the role. 

"With her election, you have also sent a powerful message to the world: The IOC continues to evolve," Bach said in his farewell speech. "With Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic Movement will be in the best of hands."

Coventry, who served in the Zimbabwean government as sports and arts minister from 2019 to 2025, compared the Olympic Movement to a spider's web, which is complex, strong and resilient.

"If one tiny little piece of that spider's web breaks, it automatically becomes weakened. Our Movement, each and every single one of you, is that spiderweb. But it only works if we work together, and if we remain united," she said.

"Working together over these next few years and consistently finding ways to strengthen and keep united our Movement will ensure and will allow for all of us that we could wake up daily and continue to inspire the next generation, to continue to change lives, and most importantly, to make dreams come true."

Zhang Bin, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times that Coventry is likely to lead the IOC to strengthen ties with China. 

"China actively participates in various efforts of the IOC, as it plays an irreplaceable and important role in terms of competitive achievements at the Olympics as well as hosting the Games," Zhang said.

He added that many Chinese sports figures hold positions in the IOC and various international sports federations, allowing it to play a positive role in promoting the development of China's sports cause and the progress of the international Olympic movement. 

"I don't see any reason why Coventry would change the IOC's cooperation with China," Zhang said. 

Zhou Jie, another Beijing-based sports columnist, noted that one of the most decisive challenges for Coventry after taking office is how to act with the US government during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

"The challenge facing Coventry will be how to defend the neutrality and independence of the IOC in the face of a tough and extremely distinctive US government," Zhou said. 

"The Trump administration has frequently withdrawn from or threatened to withdraw from international organizations. The purpose is not just to save membership fees, but to use this as a bargaining chip to force relevant organizations to increase US dominance in the bodies."

As Monday marks International Olympic Day, multiple activities were held across China to inspire more people to participate in sports.

China's most-decorated Olympic table tennis champion Ma Long and swimming butterfly specialist Zhang Yufei made appearances at a 4.5-kilometer race near the iconic National Stadium in Beijing on Saturday, inspiring the public to embrace an active lifestyle.

Simultaneously, other cities hosted diverse activities such as hiking, cycling and football games. In addition to these events, the Chinese Olympic Committee had earlier launched an online "Let's Move" campaign on June 1. As part of this campaign, more than 20 outstanding athletes called on netizens to participate in sports exercises, further spreading the Olympic spirit across the country.