From the classroom to the Games: 16 Young Reporters gain hands-on experience at Dakar 2026

Sixteen aspiring sports reporters and photographers from around the world have been putting their skills to the test at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), gaining first-hand experience covering a major international sporting event. Their journey has included practical training, mentorship and opportunities to speak with senior Olympic officials, including International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry on 11 November.

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Dakar 2026 IOC News YOG IOC Young Reporters

Key Facts

Sixteen Young Reporters from 13 countries, including six from Africa and three from host nation Senegal, are taking part in the programme at Dakar 2026.
Participants are gaining hands-on experience in print journalism, photography, broadcasting and social media, working alongside accredited media.
First launched at Singapore 2010, the IOC Young Reporters Programme helps develop the next generation of sports journalists through practical training and mentorship.

At the first Olympic sporting event held on African soil, the 16 participants in the IOC Young Reporters Programme have been putting their journalism skills into practice, covering competitions and capturing the stories behind the action in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

One of the highlights of their experience came on Wednesday 11 November, when they had the opportunity to meet IOC President Kirsty Coventry. The encounter brought together the first woman and first African to lead the IOC with a new generation of media professionals, including six participants from Africa, three of whom are from host nation Senegal.

During the Games, the Young Reporters also met with IOC Member and Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for Dakar 2026 Humphrey Kayange, IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi and IOC Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director Christian Klaue, gaining insights from their experiences across the Olympic Movement.

Learning about journalism from the heart of the Games

Selected from among 271 applications across 32 countries, the 16 Young Reporters, aged 21 to 25, represent a diverse group of aspiring media professionals from around the world.

Their journey began with three days of intensive classroom training, covering journalism fundamentals, storytelling, ethics and reporting. Since then, they have been putting their skills into practice, working alongside the accredited media at the Main Press Centre and covering the action and stories unfolding in Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly.

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Divided into four groups, the participants rotated every two days between photography, broadcasting, print journalism and social media reporting. Under the guidance of experienced media professionals, they completed assignments, received feedback and developed their ability to tell compelling stories under the pressures of a live sporting event.

Supporting the Young Reporters are five experienced media professionals, bringing decades of expertise in broadcasting, photography, written journalism and social media. Among them is Denis Paquin, former Deputy Director of Photography at the Associated Press, who has covered 20 Olympic Games since Lake Placid 1980. Having also worked for Reuters, UPI and Canada's National Post, he is now sharing his experience with a new generation of sports photographers.

The mentoring team also includes Australian broadcaster Tracey Holmes, who has covered 15 Olympic Games and has been involved with the programme since its launch in 2010; Ivan Boyanov, a former Young Reporter and Steve Parry Award winner at Nanjing 2014; Italian journalist and former international correspondent Riccardo Romani; and Indian multimedia journalist Annesha Ghosh, herself a former Young Reporter at Buenos Aires 2018 and Lausanne 2020. Together, they have been providing practical guidance and feedback, helping participants sharpen their skills across different media disciplines.

Highlighting the importance of learning directly from experienced journalists in a Games-time environment, IOC Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director Christian Klaue said:

"Seeing the Young Reporters enjoy their first Olympic experience, and learn from mentors who are well-known journalists, makes you understand that there is no better school for sports journalism than the Games themselves."

These Young Reporters are the voices of tomorrow – either as journalists or as communicators for sports organisations. By investing in them today, we are helping to ensure that the stories of sport will continue to be told with both skill and passion.

Christian KlaueIOC Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director

He added:

"When meeting the Young Reporters, I remembered my first steps on the Olympic stage back at Turin 2006. The energy, the nerves and the excitement are the same. What a privilege it is for them to start this journey at the first Olympic sporting event on African soil."

Building a legacy for the next generation

First introduced at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010, the IOC Young Reporters Programme has helped aspiring journalists from around the world develop their skills, with many alumni going on to pursue successful careers in sports journalism and media.

As the Dakar 2026 edition draws to a close, each participant will complete an individual assignment, bringing together the skills and experience they have gained throughout the Games.

The most outstanding participant will also receive the Steve Parry Award, named in memory of the former Reuters Sports Editor and dedicated mentor to young journalists.

For the 16 Young Reporters, Dakar 2026 has offered more than an opportunity to cover the Games. It has provided a platform to develop their craft, build connections across borders and take another step towards becoming the sports journalists of tomorrow.