NAIROBI, Kenya — Former women’s marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei is among a growing number of elite Kenyan athletes who have acquired Turkish citizenship, signalling a shift in allegiance ahead of major global competitions.
The 31‑year‑old, who won silver in the women’s marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021 due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, said she is awaiting formal clearance from World Athletics to compete for Turkey.
She has set her sights on representing her adopted nation at the World Athletics Championships this year and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
“Yes, it’s true I have changed citizenship, but I am still waiting for the official communication from World Athletics, Athletics Kenya or Turkish Athletics before I can compete,” Kosgei said. The veteran long‑distance runner last represented Kenya at the Tokyo Games.
Kosgei is one of the most decorated marathoners of her generation, with five World Marathon Majors wins: London in 2019 and 2020, Chicago in 2018 and 2019, and Tokyo in 2021.
She set a women’s world record in Chicago in 2019 with a time of 2:14:04, becoming the first woman to complete a marathon in under two hours and 15 minutes.
That record has since been broken twice: by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, who ran 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, and by Kenya’s Ruth Chepng’etich, who posted a time of 2:09:56 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.
Others switching to Turkey
Kosgei is not alone. Several other Kenyan athletes have also acquired Turkish citizenship, including:
- Ronald Kwemoi, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games silver medallist in the 5,000m and former World Under‑20 1,500m record holder;
- Cathrine Reline Amanang’ole, a 23‑year‑old world half marathon silver medallist;
- Brian Kibor, a road distance runner;
- Nelvin Jepkemboi.
An official at Athletics Kenya, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that confirmation of transfers is ultimately handled by World Athletics.
“We would have made the confirmation some years back, but World Athletics took up that responsibility,” the official said.
Rules on transfer of allegiance
Under World Athletics’ transfer of allegiance rules, several conditions must be met before an athlete can compete for a new country:
- A minimum of three years must pass since the athlete last represented their previous country;
- The athlete may transfer allegiance only once under normal circumstances;
- The new member federation must provide documentation demonstrating the athlete’s eligibility;
- Athletes must show a genuine, close and established residence in their new country.
In Kosgei’s and Amanang’ole’s cases, both of whom last competed for Kenya in 2021 and 2023 respectively, this could allow them to represent Turkey as early as this year. Kwemoi, however, will have to wait until next year before becoming eligible to compete for his new nation.
Amanang’ole last wore the Kenyan singlet at the World Road Running Championships on October 1, 2023, in Riga, where she won bronze. Kwemoi’s most recent appearance for Kenya was at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
For athletes who have never represented a country internationally, a transfer can happen immediately once they have acquired legal citizenship and can prove a legitimate connection to the new nation.
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While rare, a second transfer may be permitted, usually only to return to the original country of representation under exceptional circumstances.
Turkey’s recruitment of global talent
Turkish Athletics has been active in recruiting international talent ahead of the 2028 Olympic cycle. In 2025, several high‑profile Jamaican athletes reportedly switched allegiance to Turkey, a move largely attributed to financial incentives and competitive opportunities.
Notable athletes who became Turkish citizens include:
- Roje Stona, men’s discus gold medallist at the 2024 Paris Olympics;
- Rajindra Campbell, shot put bronze medallist in Paris;
- Jaydon Hibbert, the 19‑year‑old triple jump prodigy who finished fourth in Paris;
- Wayne Pinnock, long jump silver medallist at the 2023 World Championships and 2024 Olympics.
These moves reflect broader global trends in athletics, where nations seek to enhance their competitive prospects by naturalizing elite talents.
