Il Nuovo Postiglione - Out of Africa: Hard knocks the spur for history-making Coventry

"Everything's scary. Embrace that. You have to fail," Coventry told the swimming team at her American alma mater Auburn University last year.

"I've learned the best lessons by failing, and I have failed at many things. Life has a really good way of humbling you."

Failure would seem relative if one takes a look at the 41-year-old's CV.

Coventry, who had the Olympic rings tattooed on a leg after her first Games in 2000, is, like one of her rivals Sebastian Coe, a two-time Olympic gold medallist.

She contributed seven of Zimbabwe's overall medals tally of eight.

She has proved to be an effective networker since becoming an IOC member in 2013 and is head of the 2032 Brisbane Games Co-ordination Commission -- a sign of the confidence the hierarchy has in her adminstrative and organisational abilities.

Like Coe and international cycling federation president David Lappartient, she has accrued domestic political experience, though hers is on another level as she has been Zimbabwe's Minister for Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation since 2019.

That was thought to be her Achilles heel as she was serving in a government whose election in 2023 -- she was re-appointed to her ministerial role -- was declared to be "neither free nor fair".

Coventry defended herself when the subject was broached during her low-key media campaign -- unlike other candidates she did not employ heavyweight PR agencies but relied on her husband and father of her two children, Tyrone Seward.

"I have learned so many things from stepping into this ministry role," she said in January.

"But I have taken it upon myself to change a lot of policies within my country and how things are done."

Her record as a minister has been heavily criticised by the arts community in particular.

"If the President wants to improve the Zimbabwean arts and culture, he should appoint a more suitable minister," arts critic Fred Zindi told Zimbabwe newspaper NewsDay.

"Coventry has been kept there simply because she is white."

Mnangagwa, whose predecesor Robert Mugabe labelled Coventry "a golden girl" and awarded her $100,000 after she came back with another gold medal from Beijing in 2008, hit back.

"I have re-appointed her because l am happy with her performance," said the 82-year-old.

"Whoever was not impressed by her can appoint someone else when they become President."

- 'Very hard times' -

In 2004, Coventry gave an insight into why she would later accept such a poisoned chalice and how whites in Zimbabwe have to perform a delicate balancing act.

"Zimbabwe is my home," she said after returning to a heroine's parade following the Athens Olympics where she won her first gold medal.

"It's where I was born. It's my culture. I will always represent Zimbabwe. Colour doesn't matter to me.

"I think every country goes through bad years and good years."

Coventry had a largely urban upbringing, her parents Rob and Linn owned a chemicals firm in a suburb of Harare, but the farming evictions affected her too.

"I have had very close family members and friends on farms who have gone through very hard times," said Coventry.

Away from the controversies Coventry has shown her mettle in dealing with Zimbabwean football chiefs and FIFA.

She backed the government body Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) when it suspended the Zimbabwean Football Association (ZIFA) over allegations of fraud and sexual harassment of referees.

FIFA takes a zero tolerance policy of political interference in its associations and barred Zimbabwe from international football in February 2022.

However, by September the same year they were back in the fold. A ZIFA official was later banned for five years for sexually harassing three female referees.

Coventry said in 2023 that the process had been "hard, but it was worth it, to have a way forward that's going to benefit us as a country -- 110 percent it was worth it," said.

In the same determined manner Coventry took on the sceptics who questioned her qualifications for the IOC role and on Thursday, once again, she prevailed.

M.Lombardi--INP