Coventry hails milestone year ahead of Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games

VIDEO SHOWS: IOC PRESIDENT KIRSTY COVENTRY SPEAKING RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT  SHOWS: LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND (RECENT) (IOC – For editorial use only. No commercial use. No resales. No monetisation.) 1. AERIAL VIEW OF IOC HEADQUARTERS 2. INSIDE OF BUILDING 3. OLYMPIC RINGS 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) KIRSTY COVENTRY, IOC PRESIDENT, SAYING:     "Dear Olympic friends, as we welcome a new year, I want to thank you, the entire Olympic Community, for the incredible support and encouragement you’ve given me during my first months as IOC President. Over these six months, I’ve had the privilege of meeting many of you, listening, learning, and feeling the energy that drives our Olympic Movement. Your passion and commitment inspire me every day.     "There is so much to look forward to at the start of this very special Olympic year. In just a few weeks, the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will bring together the best winter sport athletes in Bella Italia, a country that lives and breathes passion. The torch is already moving across Italy, connecting communities and building excitement for Milano-Cortina 2026. These Games will take athletes and fans to places where winter sport is a part of daily life, showcasing existing world-class venues and celebrating the regions that live and breathe sport.     "Milano-Cortina will be a new kind of Winter Games, where innovation meets tradition, gender equality reaches new heights, and iconic landscapes provide the perfect stage. As the first Games of my presidency, I am determined to make them a success for the athletes, for Italy, and for the entire Olympic Movement.     "Later in the year, all of our eyes will turn to Africa for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic event on African soil. As a proud African and Olympian, I could not be more excited. These Games will be a milestone not just for Senegal, but for all of Africa. They will showcase the energy, creativity, and optimism of our continent. They will inspire young people everywhere to dream big.     "As we look ahead, the Fit for the Future consultation is already in full swing, engaging voices from across our Olympic Community. The discussions are lively and inspiring, and the ideas emerging will lead to concrete recommendations this summer, setting the course for our Olympic Movement. I am encouraged by the sense of purpose that you all bring to this process. Together, we will build an Olympic Movement that is strong, united, and truly fit for the future.     "There is so much to look forward to in 2026, and so much to achieve together. I can’t wait to continue this journey with all of you, to make this Olympic year one of unity, inspiration, and progress for our entire Community. Thank you, and I wish you all a joyful and successful Olympic year ahead." STORY: International Olympic President (IOC) Kirsty Coventry thanked the "entire Olympic Community" for the support she has received during her first months in office.     In a New Years Day message, Coventry highlighted the Olympic Winter Games Milano-Cortina 2026, noting that the Games will "bring together the best winter sport athletes in Bella Italia".     She described Milano-Cortina as “a new kind of Winter Games, where innovation meets tradition, gender equality reaches new heights, and iconic landscapes provide the perfect stage".     The President also looked ahead to the Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, the first Olympic event on African soil. (Production: Andy Ragg)

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