Kirsty Coventry was elected on Thursday as the 10th president of the International Olympic Committee, capping a monthslong election battle and becoming the first woman and the first African to hold the most powerful role in sports.
The election, which has been described in similar language to a papal conclave, was settled — to gasps by onlookers — in the very first round of secret voting by the International Olympic Committee’s membership, an eclectic group that features not only sports leaders but also royals, business moguls and even Hollywood stars.
The victory immediately vaults Ms. Coventry to the very top of global sports, into a position that requires diplomatic, financial and management acumen as well as knowledge of sports.