Thomas Bach ‘relieved’ as IOC members vote in Kirsty Coventry as his successor - Coventry has been seen by many observers as the continuity candidate.

Kirsty Coventry was elected as the new president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday. Coventry became the first woman to be chosen for the global sports post and also the first African to be named the president of the IOC.

Zimbabwean Kirsty Coventry, the first African president of the International Olympic Committee can "even exceed the expectations" of the continent, said her predecessor Thomas Bach on Friday. Hence expectations are high that during her eight-year term Coventry will not only be a standard bearer for Africa itself,