Now hard work starts for clear winner Coventry

IOC's first female president faces major challenges such as dealing with Donald Trump and protecting women's sports

- Sean Ingle

Barely an hour after Kirsty Coventry had become the most powerful figure in global sport at the relatively tender age of 41, she faced a series of verbal grenades about how she might handle Donald Trump in her new role.

What would the new president of the International Olympic Committee respond, the first interrogator asked, if the American president tried to cause trouble during the Los Angeles Olympics by banning athletes from certain countries?

There was a short smile. And then came a flash of steel. "I have been dealing with let's say difficult men in high positions since I was 20 years old," replied Coventry. "What I have learned is that communication will be key. That is something that will happen early on."

"We will not waver from our values. Solidarity and ensuring every athlete that qualifies for the Olympic Games has the possibility to attend the Olympic Games and be safe during the Olympic Games."

It was a mightily impressive answer. And it also sent a clear message. Coventry, who beat Britain's candidate Seb Coe into a distant third place, might be inexperienced. But she is ready to deal with whatever her brief involves, whether it is dealing with Presidents Trump, Putin and Xi, the weaponisation of sport, or the challenges of steering the IOC through an uncertain decade.

She was equally quick footed when asked about whether more needed to be done to protect women's sports after the boxing controversy at the Paris Games.