Olympic gold medalist Kirsty Coventry makes IOC history as first female president

Kirsty Coventry was elected the new president of the International Olympic Committee Thursday. 

Coventry, 41, becomes the first woman and first African named president of the IOC.

"It is a signal that we are truly global," Coventry said of her election.

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Coventry, a two-time Olympic swimming gold medalist, won in the first round of voting among seven candidates voted on by 97 IOC members. Coventry gets an eight-year mandate that runs through 2033.