- Former WR marathon holder Brigid Kosgei has confirmed her intention, alongside four other Kenyans, to switch allegiance to Turkey.
- The quartet joining Kosgei includes world U20 1500m record holder Ronald Kwemoi, Catherine Amanang’ole, Brian Kibor, and Nelvin Jepkemboi.
- The process has been ongoing since 2024 and is expected to be completed in time for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Former world record marathon holder Brigid Kosgei is among the Kenyan nationals set to switch their allegiance to Turkey ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Reports circulated on Thursday indicating that five Kenyans were among 11 athletes named in a now-deleted story by the Turkish Athletics Federation, which revealed a 53-member Turkish roster for the Olympics.
The other quartet joining Kosgei are world U20 record holder in the 1500m Ronald Kwemoi, Catherine Amanang’ole, Brian Kibor, and Nelvin Jepkemboi.
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Former WR marathon holder Brigid Kosgei confirms switch to Turkey
That same day, Kosgei, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, confirmed the reports to AFP, stating that she and four other Kenyans will compete for Turkey at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“Yes, it’s true, I changed my nationality to Turkish,” she told AFP happily.
“It was my decision, and I’m happy to compete under the Turkish flag in Los Angeles once the allegiance process is complete,” she added.
Kosgei, 31, has won numerous marathons including those in London, Chicago, Madrid, and Tokyo, and held the world record from October 2019 to September 2023 with a time of 2:14:04 (in a mixed-gender race).
She also explained that the process has been underway for some time, beginning in 2024.
According to the Olympic Charter, an athlete must wait three years after competing for one country before switching to another; by 2028, all will be finalized for the five athletes.
Reacting to the news, Barnaba Korir, a member of the Kenyan Athletics Federations’ executive committee, noted that it ultimately comes down to individual choice, provided the rules are followed.
“It is a personal decision and these runners have chosen and have been accepted by Turkey. It’s a free world provided they follow the regulations,” Korir told AFP.
He also mentioned that Kenya has many runners vying for top-level opportunities, and if one cannot represent Kenya, they are free to compete elsewhere.
“We have very many runners in Kenya and we cannot accommodate all of them. Those who seek opportunities to compete for other countries are welcome. After all, they will compete for them and still invest in the country,” he said.
The five will join a growing list of Kenyans who have switched nationalities, such as Bernard Lagat- a bronze medalist at the Sydney Olympics and silver medalist in Athens for Kenya, who later represented the United States and Saif Saaeed Shaheen, world champion in the 3000m steeplechase in 2003 and 2005 for Qatar.