Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The World Athletics Media Academy provided 14 University of Oregon journalism and communication students with practical sports media experience at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon. For the first time, the academy largely supported coverage on the World Athletics website at this championship event.
Led by Zacharias Vailakis and Martina Kučerová, the program aims to cultivate future sports media professionals in journalism, photography, and TV commentary, addressing talent gaps and promoting diversity in athletics storytelling.
Academy participants received four days of classroom training followed by five days of intensive coverage at Hayward Field. Under senior editor Jessica Whittington, the student editorial team produced the majority of championship content—including previews, reports, features, and interviews—for a global audience.
Photography students were coached by photojournalist Denis Paquin and used Sony’s latest equipment, supported by Sony representative Noritaka Yoneyama. Videography was directed by Christel Saneh and Anne-Gaëlle Sy, who captured behind-the-scenes footage and key event moments.
Participants reported positive experiences, with photographer Zara Linneman noting the impact of seeing her images published on the official World Athletics website.