More than the Score - The World Athletics Championships come to Kenya - BBC Sounds

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September 21, 2026

      <p>Use BBC.com or the new BBC App to listen to BBC podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.</p><p><a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250207-bbc-podcasts-are-now-available-on-the-bbc-website-and-app">Find out how to listen to other BBC stations</a></p><h2>Episode details</h2><img src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/400x400/p0pbqkp9.jpg" alt="" loading="lazy" /><p>World Service,·21 Sep 2026,·24 mins</p><p>Available for over a year</p><p>Kenya is the second-most successful country in the history of the World Athletics Championships, but none of its 72 gold medals have been won on home soil. But in 2029, the tournament will head to Nairobi - and Africa - for the first time in its history. 

More than the Score’s Lee James talks to BBC Africa’s Celestine Karoney and former Boston and Los Angeles Marathon winner Wesley Korir about the years of work that have gone into bringing the Championships to Kenya, from developing infrastructure to lessons learned from other major sporting events - including the Africa Cup of Nations. Will this be a tournament that connects with Kenya’s huge and passionate athletics fanbase, and what could its wider significance be for the country? Plus, with so many current champions hailing from Africa, what does it mean to them for one of the sport’s biggest occasions to finally be held on the continent? Unexpected questions and beyond the scoresheet chat. More than the Score tells stories from all over the world of sport. From Formula One to netball, MMA to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We’ve got interviews with extraordinary athletes, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we’ve got the expertise of the BBC’s top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you’ve got your own take on the stories we cover, we’d love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore