Heavyweight trio eye history in race to succeed Olympics chief Bach

Historic election in Costa Navarino, Greece for new IOC president with Samaranch, Coe, and Coventry as top contenders.

The race to succeed Thomas Bach as President of the International Olympic Committee reaches a climax on Thursday (March 20, 2025) with Juan Antonio Samaranch Junior, Sebastian Coe and Kirsty Coventry believed to be neck and neck but clear of the remaining quartet.

Any of those three would be an historic winner in the election in Costa Navarino, Greece.

Samaranch would emulate his father of the same name and become the first father and son to be crowned president, World Athletics president Coe would be the first Briton and Zimbabwean Coventry the youngest at 41, and both the first woman and African.

Nevertheless, surprises from the electorate of 100-plus IOC members cannot be ruled out in the battle to become the most powerful figure in sports governance.

Ski federation chief and renowned environmentalist Johan Eliasch, Morinari Watanabe, president of the international gymnastics federation, cycling head David Lappartient and Prince Feisal al-Hussein make up the heavyweight field.

The vote takes place behind closed doors and just as in the award-winning film "Conclave" about cardinals choosing a new pope, all the IOC members will be obliged to leave their phones outside the room.

Just off the exclusive resort is the site of the 1827 naval battle in the Greek War of Independence which resulted in a heavy defeat for the Ottoman Empire.