Olympic Trailblazer and Former AOTO Board Member Anita DeFrantz Passes the Flame to IOC President Kirsty Coventry
Olympic Trailblazer and Former AOTO Board Member Anita DeFrantz Passes the Flame to IOC President Kirsty Coventry
A powerful symbolic moment unfolded during the Olympic Torch Relay for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 as Olympic pioneer Anita DeFrantz passed the Olympic flame to International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry.
DeFrantz, an Olympic bronze medalist in rowing at the 1976 Montreal Games and one of the most influential leaders in the modern Olympic Movement, served as a torchbearer during the relay in Milan. In a moment rich with symbolism, she handed the flame to Coventry, marking a generational passing of the torch between two trailblazing women in global sport leadership.
A longtime champion for athletes and equality in sport, DeFrantz has spent decades shaping the Olympic Movement. She became the first African American woman elected to the International Olympic Committee in 1986 and later served as Vice President of the IOC. Throughout her career, she has been a tireless advocate for expanding opportunities for women and athletes around the world.
The moment also carries special meaning for Art of the Olympians, where DeFrantz previously served as a board member and supporter of the organization’s mission to celebrate the creative expression of Olympians and the enduring values of Olympism through art.
Her role in the torch relay highlights the lasting impact of leaders who helped open doors for future generations. Passing the flame to Coventry, the IOC’s first female President, reflected the continued evolution of the Olympic Movement and the legacy of those who helped shape it.
Art of the Olympians celebrates Anita DeFrantz not only for her historic achievements in sport and leadership, but also for her enduring commitment to the Olympic ideals of excellence, friendship, and respect.
Read more about the moment on the Olympic Newsroom:
https://www.olympics.com/ioc/news/olympic-torch-relay-emotional-handover-from-women-in-sport-trailblazer-anita-defrantz-to-ioc-president-kirsty-coventry
Al Oerter Foundation/Art of the Olympians Media Contact: Steve Apesos s.apesos@artoftheolympians.org
ABOUT THE AL OERTER FOUNDATION/ART OF THE OLYMPIANS
The Al Oerter Foundation (AOF) and its program organization – Art of the Olympians (AOTO) – is a Florida chartered not-for-profit foundation created in 2006 by four-time gold medalist Al Oerter. Through Olympian and Paralympian artists, AOF/AOTO uniquely couples art exhibitions with education by providing programs of art, education, sport, and cultural outreach – both nationally and internationally – to inspire individuals (particularly the youth) to uphold the virtues of the Olympic ideals of excellence, friendship, respect, and fair play.
A powerful symbolic moment unfolded during the Olympic Torch Relay for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 as Olympic pioneer Anita DeFrantz passed the Olympic flame to International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry.
DeFrantz, an Olympic bronze medalist in rowing at the 1976 Montreal Games and one of the most influential leaders in the modern Olympic Movement, served as a torchbearer during the relay in Milan. In a moment rich with symbolism, she handed the flame to Coventry, marking a generational passing of the torch between two trailblazing women in global sport leadership.
A longtime champion for athletes and equality in sport, DeFrantz has spent decades shaping the Olympic Movement. She became the first African American woman elected to the International Olympic Committee in 1986 and later served as Vice President of the IOC. Throughout her career, she has been a tireless advocate for expanding opportunities for women and athletes around the world.
The moment also carries special meaning for Art of the Olympians, where DeFrantz previously served as a board member and supporter of the organization’s mission to celebrate the creative expression of Olympians and the enduring values of Olympism through art.
Her role in the torch relay highlights the lasting impact of leaders who helped open doors for future generations. Passing the flame to Coventry, the IOC’s first female President, reflected the continued evolution of the Olympic Movement and the legacy of those who helped shape it.
Art of the Olympians celebrates Anita DeFrantz not only for her historic achievements in sport and leadership, but also for her enduring commitment to the Olympic ideals of excellence, friendship, and respect.
Read more about the moment on the Olympic Newsroom:
https://www.olympics.com/ioc/news/olympic-torch-relay-emotional-handover-from-women-in-sport-trailblazer-anita-defrantz-to-ioc-president-kirsty-coventry
Al Oerter Foundation/Art of the Olympians Media Contact: Steve Apesos s.apesos@artoftheolympians.org
ABOUT THE AL OERTER FOUNDATION/ART OF THE OLYMPIANS
The Al Oerter Foundation (AOF) and its program organization – Art of the Olympians (AOTO) – is a Florida chartered not-for-profit foundation created in 2006 by four-time gold medalist Al Oerter. Through Olympian and Paralympian artists, AOF/AOTO uniquely couples art exhibitions with education by providing programs of art, education, sport, and cultural outreach – both nationally and internationally – to inspire individuals (particularly the youth) to uphold the virtues of the Olympic ideals of excellence, friendship, respect, and fair play.
