The next president of the International Olympic Committee is a former Zimbabwe swimmer who is Africa’s most decorated Olympian and a minister in a government often accused of oppressing political opposition.

Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe was elected president of the International Olympic Committee Thursday, becoming the Switzerland-based organization’s first woman and first African leader. “This is an extraordinary moment,

The previous nine presidents were men from Europe or the U.S."This is an extraordinary moment," she said in an address to IOC members moments after outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach made the announcement.