科斯塔纳瓦里诺举行的第144届国际奥委会全会上当选为国际奥委会第十任主席，也是IOC历史上首位女性主席。选举仅进行一轮投票。
考文垂击败了其他候选人，包括侯赛因王子、戴维·拉帕蒂昂、约翰·埃利亚什、胡安·安东尼奥·萨马兰奇、塞巴斯蒂安·科和渡边守成。
当选后，考文垂表示：“能够当选国际奥委会主席，我无比荣幸和激动！衷心感谢各位委员的信任与支持。那个多年前在津巴布韦开始游泳的小女孩，做梦也没想到有今天这一刻。我尤其为成为第一位女性主席、第一位非洲籍主席感到自豪。希望今天的投票能激励更多人。天花板被打破了，我也深知作为榜样的责任。”
她说：“体育拥有无与伦比的团结力量，能够激励人心、创造机会。我承诺会充分释放这一力量。与奥林匹克大家庭、运动员、观众和赞助商一起，我们将在现有基础上不断创新，弘扬友谊、卓越和尊重的价值观。奥林匹克运动的未来光明，我迫不及待想开始工作！”
现任主席托马斯·巴赫表示：“祝贺克尔斯蒂·考文垂当选第十任国际奥委会主席。我欢迎委员们的决定，并期待在交接期间展开密切合作。毫无疑问，奥林匹克运动的未来充满希望，我们的核心价值将继续指引前行。”
Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe was elected today as the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the first female President in IOC history, following 1 round of voting at the 144th IOC Session in Costa Navarino, Greece.
Coventry was chosen over fellow presidential candidates HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, David Lappartient, Johan Eliasch, Juan Antonio Samaranch, Lord Sebastian Coe and Morinari Watanabe.*
President-elect Coventry said: “I am incredibly honoured and excited to be elected as President of the International Olympic Committee! I want to sincerely thank my fellow members for their trust and support.
“The young girl who first started swimming in Zimbabwe all those years ago could never have dreamt of this moment
“I am particularly proud to be the first female IOC President, and also the first from Africa. I hope that this vote will be an inspiration to many people. Glass ceilings have been shattered today, and I am fully aware of my responsibilities as a role model.
“Sport has an unmatched power to unite, inspire and create opportunities for all, and I am committed to making sure we harness that power to its fullest. Together with the entire Olympic family, including our athletes, fans and sponsors, we will build on our strong foundations, embrace innovation, and champion the values of friendship, excellence and respect. The future of the Olympic Movement is bright, and I can’t wait to get started!”
After the election, IOC President Thomas Bach said: “Congratulations to Kirsty Coventry on her election as the 10th IOC President. I warmly welcome the decision of the IOC Members and look forward to strong cooperation, particularly during the transition period. There is no doubt that the future for our Olympic Movement is bright and that the values we stand for will continue to guide us through the years to come.”