Kirsty Coventry became the president of the International Olympic Committee, the most powerful person in sport, on Monday in a handover ceremony with her predecessor Thomas Bach.
The Zimbabwean is the first woman and African to head the body and at 41 the youngest since Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who is credited with founding the modern-day Olympics.
Coventry accepted the Olympic key from Bach, who like her is an Olympic champion – he won a team fencing gold in 1976 and she earned two swimming golds in 2004 and 2008.
Stepping down after a 12-year tenure, Bach expressed his confidence that the Olympic movement was “in the best of hands” and Coventry would bring “conviction, integrity and a dynamic perspective” to the role.
Coventry's parents were present at the ceremony in Lausanne, along with her husband and daughters Ella, six, and Lily, just seven months old.
"Ella saw this spider web in the garden and I pointed out how it is made, and how strong and resilient it is to bad weather and little critters,” said Coventry. “But if one little bit breaks it becomes weaker. That spider web is our movement, it is complex, beautiful and strong but it only works if we remain together and united.”
Coventry said she could not believe how her life had evolved since she first dreamed of Olympic glory in 1992.
She swept to a crushing first-round victory in the election in Greece in March.
"We [IOC members] are guardians of this movement, which is also about inspiring and changing lives and bringing hope,” Coventry said.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
