Celebrated sports journalist John Nene who has worked at KTN, Kenya Times, Daily Nation and BBC has set up Kenya's first ever athletics podcast to document the history of the sport from the 1950s.
The Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage in conjunction with Athletics Kenya is funding the project, Mwanariadha Podcast, which Nene believes will revolutionise sports in the country.
The first episode featured one of Kenya's pioneer athletes from Kisii, Nyandika Maiyoro, and the formation of Athletics Kenya in the 50s, then known as Kenya Amateur Athletics Association (KAAA).
Nene, in the coming episodes, will tell the stories of Kenyan legends who have dominated the track events in the local and international scene.
In a statement dated Friday, September 22, the journalist stated that the podcast would help Kenyans learn the untold stories of many heroes and heroines that have represented the country.
"Mwanariadha podcast will feature interviews with Kenya's track and field legends, and packages as well as detailing Kenya's athletes' participation in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and World Championships including other major competitions and notable activities in Kenya's athletics history.
"My journey begins with the birth of Athletics Kenya then known as Kenya Amateur Athletics Association (KAAA) in 1951 and Kenya's first participation in the Commonwealth Games in 1954 in Vancouver, Canada starring Nyandika Maiyoro, one of the pioneer athletes," he stated.
"In addition to documenting Kenya's athletics history from the 50s, Mwanariadha Podcast is dedicated to Kenya's athletes who have brought the country glory in various international competitions. The broadcast journalism knowledge I gained at the BBC has stood me in good stead in setting up the Podcast to be produced by my company, Nenez Media Services," he stated.
Some of the material and interviews he saved while working as a sports journalist will come in handy in this project.
Further, Nene thanked officials at the ministry of sport for showing confidence in him to work on the project even as he stated that he would venture to other sports in due course.
"Many thanks to CS for Sports, Culture and Heritage Amina Mohamed, PS Joe Okudo and Kip Keino Classic Meet Director, Barnabas Korir, for your support to set up Mwanariadha Podcast.
"Big up to Swaleh Abubakar Ahmed, the Technical Director of Mombasa-based Crablinks Interactive Ltd for your immense contribution in the production of the Podcast," he stated
In July 2021, Nene was appointed as the Director of Public relations and Communication for the World África Boxing Association (WABA).
