Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe's retired swimming icon and current Sports Minister, is the sole African contender for the International Olympic Committee presidency, inspiring hopes for fairness in sports and empowerment for women. A champion at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the 41-year-old now serves as her country's Sports Minister. Ahead of the IOC vote, Coventry has shared her vision and agenda for the Olympic body. Coventry has drawn heightened attention due to the unprecedented nature of her potential presidency. However, she expressed confidence in her ability to tackle the challenge, push boundaries, and make tough decisions. She recently shared insights on her vision for the Olympic movement, including the issue of prize money at the Summer and Winter Games. Coventry emphasized the importance of better supporting athletes early in their careers, particularly through direct funding, to help them overcome challenges like sponsorship struggles and financial pressure. She believes this focus would ease the path to the Olympics, as the Olympic solidarity scholarship was crucial in her own journey. Some feel this would help to level the playing field, especially for African nations. Her candidacy carries profound significance for women. The elections for the new head of the Olympics body will be held at the 144th IOC Session between March 18 and 21. Shotlist: Harare, Zimbabwe - Recent: FILE: Harare, Zimbabwe - Aug 26, 2016 1. Various of city scene, buildings; 2. Various of traffic; FILE: Zimbabwe - 2017 3. Various of Coventry playing football with girls; Harare, Zimbabwe - Recent 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dirk Viljoen, former Zimbabwe national cricketer (partially overlaid with shots 5-6): "I have looked at how the Olympics are run, and as much as it's called an amateur sport, there are some countries that are able to throw a lot of money to support their athletes, the lesser nations need a voice. They need a voice to be able to compete. Kirsty did that in the pool herself and Kirsty, if she does get the position, has that ability from a sort of seniority perspective to say 'you know what, if we are calling this a sport for everyone then when does the fairness comes in?'"; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Lausanne, Switzerland - Oct 18, 2023 5. Olympic rings; 6. Various of flags, people outside of Olympic Museum; [SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: Zimbabwe - 2017 7. Various of Coventry having sports class with kids; Harare, Zimbabwe - Recent 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Yvonne Mangunda, sports manager and media personality: "Never mind the fact that it's huge that she will be the first African, she will be the youngest. But the fact that she is a woman who is achieving that, it speaks a lot to young girls. It speaks a lot to those that are aspiring for even roles that are not in sport."; FILE: Zimbabwe - 2017 9. Various of Coventry talking; 10. Coventry giving high-five to kids. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]