The Kenyan athletics fraternity has been rocked by a seismic defection as former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei confirmed she is switching allegiance to Turkey. In a move that lays bare the deepening talent retention crisis in the country, Kosgei is leading a contingent of elite stars who have chosen to trade the black, red, and green for the Turkish crescent and star ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The revelation comes after a leaked—and subsequently deleted—post by the Turkish Athletics Federation listed Kosgei among 11 Kenyan-born athletes on their provisional Olympic roster. Speaking to international press, the 31-year-old marathon queen did not shy away from the decision. "Yes, it is true, I changed my nationality to Turkish," Kosgei stated, adding that she was "happy to compete under the Turkish flag."

A Galaxy of Stars Departs

Kosgei is not leaving alone. She is joined by Olympic silver medalist Ronald Kwemoi, a middle-distance powerhouse, and emerging talents Catherine Amanang\ole, Brian Kibor, and Nelvin Jepkemboi. The coordinated switch represents one of the most significant talent drains in Kenyan history, comparable to the mass exodus to Bahrain and Qatar in the early 2000s.

For Kosgei, who held the marathon world record of 2:14:04 for four years until 2023, the move appears driven by the brutal competition for slots on the Kenyan national team. Despite her pedigree—including wins in London, Chicago, and Tokyo—she was notably dropped from the Paris 2024 Olympic squad, a snub that insiders say precipitated her search for a new home.

• The "Kenyan Problem": With hundreds of world-class runners competing for just three Olympic slots per distance, established stars often find themselves on the sidelines. Athletics Kenya official Barnaba Korir admitted, "We have very many runners in Kenya and we cannot accommodate all of them."
• The Turkish Strategy: Turkey has aggressively recruited East African talent to bolster its medal prospects. By naturalizing proven winners like Kosgei now, they ensure the three-year waiting period mandated by World Athletics will elapse just in time for the LA 2028 Games.
• The Financial Pull: Beyond the team slots, the financial incentives offered by nations like Turkey—including lifetime stipends, top-tier training facilities, and appearance fees—dwarf what is available domestically.

"It Was My Decision"

The defecting athletes have framed the move as a professional necessity rather than a betrayal. "It was my decision," Kosgei affirmed. The reality is that an athlete’s career is short, and the window to maximize earnings and legacy is narrow. For the 11 athletes linked to this switch, the choice was between uncertainty in Nairobi and a guaranteed ticket to the Olympics with Ankara.

Athletics Kenya has taken a pragmatic, albeit resigned, stance."It’s a free world provided they follow the regulations," Korir noted. However, the loss of a marquee name like Kosgei stings. It signals that Kenya is no longer just exporting raw talent to be polished abroad; it is losing finished products—world record holders and Olympic medalists—who feel undervalued by the system at home.

As the "Turkish Team" begins to look more like a Kenyan All-Star squad, questions must be asked of the Ministry of Sports. If the country cannot retain its legends, what hope is there for the next generation? For now, Brigid Kosgei has run her last race for Kenya; her next finish line will be crossed in the red and white of Turkey.