Journalists Makori and Karoney: Rewriting Athletics Through African Eyes

When World Athletics President Sebastian Coe singled out Kenyan journalists Elias Makori and BBC Africa senior journalist Celestine Karoney during the World Athletics Relays media briefing in Gaborone, it was more than a passing acknowledgment. It reflected a subtle but growing shift in global athletics: African journalists are increasingly being recognised not just as chroniclers of the sport, but as part of its global architecture.

The recognition came on the sidelines of the World Athletics Relays, the first time the event has been staged on African soil since its inception. But beyond the competition and hosting milestone, the spotlight briefly turned to those who document the sport’s evolution.

Recognition that reflects a shifting media landscape

For Elias Makori, a veteran Kenyan athletics journalist, the moment underscored both progress and a longstanding imbalance in how sports media is valued within the athletics ecosystem.

“The main problem is that in Kenya, we hardly get any recognition as media. It’s all about officials who even outshine the athletes,” he told Sportcast Africa in a virtual interview.

Makori, however, pointed to a gradual shift in how journalists are being integrated into global athletics structures, particularly through formal mentorship and training programmes led by World Athletics.

Building the next generation of African sports journalists

He highlighted the World Athletics Media Academy in Gaborone, where both he and World Athletics Editor John Mulkeen serve as lead mentors for a group of 14 young journalists from six African countries.

“Celestine Karoney was invited as Guest Mentor by World Athletics for the Media Academy,” Makori said, describing a growing effort to institutionalise journalism development within the sport.

The veteran journalist, who served on the former IAAF/World Athletics Press Commission from 2007 to 2016, recalled a period when media engagement was more directly embedded in governance structures. During that time, he worked closely with Coe, then chair of the commission, before later reforms reshaped World Athletics’ media architecture.

A long professional relationship with the World Athletics leadership

“I have had many engagements with him over the years about the sport of athletics,” Makori said, adding that he continues to serve on the World Athletics Heritage Committee and as a media delegate for the Diamond League.

He also reflected on a personal milestone: receiving the World Journalist of the Year award in 2012, presented by Coe in Barcelona.

African storytelling and global visibility

“This would not be possible without the platform BBC Africa has provided me, allowing us to bring African stories to a global audience,” she said.

Karoney said such moments reaffirm the purpose of sports journalism: to elevate stories that might otherwise remain unseen.

“Moments like this remind us why we do what we do, to shine a light on the talent, resilience, and narratives that might otherwise go unheard from our continent,” she said.

“This is not about me; it shows that journalists, especially those of us from Africa, can be seen and valued for telling our own stories, in our own voices,” she added.

Rooted in Eldoret, reporting to the world

Karoney, who comes from Eldoret, widely regarded as a global hub of distance running talent, said her background has shaped her reporting lens.

“My relationship with athletics is quite deep, as I come from the home of champions, Eldoret,” she said.

Karoney also pointed to a recent continental recognition that highlighted her contribution to sport in Africa, after being named among the 2025 Honorees of the “50 Most Influential African Women in Sports Awards” by the Africa Sports Ventures Group.

She described the acknowledgment as a reminder of the growing visibility of women shaping African sport across different roles, from athletes to journalists and administrators.

“It is truly inspiring to be listed alongside Olympians, federation leaders, fellow journalists, and all the incredible women driving positive change in African sport,” she said.

Mentorship, media training, and continental growth

“There is a group of 14 young journalists in the Gaborone Media Academy programme from six African nations whom we are mentoring,” Makori said, noting similar initiatives in London, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and Rabat.

A quiet shift in global athletics storytelling

As Africa continues to host major events, including the World Athletics Relays in Botswana, journalists are moving from the margins of coverage into the center of athletics storytelling itself.

In that sense, Coe’s recognition was not just about two journalists, but a broader transition in who gets to tell the story of world athletics.