BEIJING, Nov. 13: International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry has lauded China’s rich sporting culture, world-class infrastructure, and lasting contributions to the Olympic Movement during her first visit to the country since taking office in June.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Wednesday, Coventry shared her impressions of China’s National Games, following an IOC delegation visit from Nov. 8 to 13.
“There are so many things that stood out,” she said. “From the opening ceremony, it was just incredible a magnificent showcase of culture, sport and technology.”
Coventry highlighted the unprecedented scale of the event, which was co-hosted for the first time by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, drawing around 25,000 athletes. “It really shows the tremendous appetite the country has for sports,” she added.
The seven-time Olympic medalist also praised the inclusion of Wushu at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games after attending competitions in Guangzhou. “It’s very fast and beautiful to watch the athletes make the movements look so effortless,” she said. “I’m very excited for it to be showcased in Dakar.”
Coventry, whose own career was marked by memorable performances at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, emphasized China’s enduring partnership with the IOC.
“China has always been an incredibly strong partner,” she said. “There are so many extraordinary things that the Olympic Movement continues to learn from China.”
During her visit, Coventry met with three of China’s Olympic TOP partners Alibaba, TCL and Mengniu and commended their alignment with Olympic values.
“I’m so grateful to have spent time with our TOP partners,” she said. “They all spoke about values that align closely with what the Olympic Movement stands for.”
As the highest tier of Olympic sponsorship, the Olympic Partner (TOP) Program grants exclusive, global marketing rights for the Olympic and Paralympic Games to a select group of worldwide partners.
Coventry, the IOC’s first female and African president, reaffirmed her commitment to further strengthening cooperation with China.
“We will definitely look forward to continuing and deepening that collaboration, so that best practices can be shared with the rest of the world,” she said.