Norah Jeruto Wins Gold for Kazakhstan in Oregon, Months After Renouncing Kenyan Citizenship
Kenyan-born runner Norah Jeruto on Wednesday bagged gold for Kazakhstan in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
Jeruto clocked 8:53.02, the third-fastest time in history and a championship record, to clinch gold ahead of Ethiopian Werkuha Getachew, who claimed silver in a national record of 8:54.61.
Ethiopia’s Mekides Abebe snatched bronze in 8:56.08 after a mistake by Kenyan-born Bahraini Winfred Mutile Yavi, who finished fourth.
Kenya’s sole representative in the final Celliphine Chespol, a two-time world junior champion, finished 13th, making it the first time the country has failed to win a women's steeplechase medal since it was introduced as a world event.
Jeruto was the second Kenyan-born athlete to win a medal for another country in the ongoing World Championships after Lonah Chemtai Salpeter clinched bronze for Israel in the women’s marathon on Tuesday.
Jeruto was among four Kenyan-born athletes who switched their international allegiance to Kazakhstan in March this year. She was granted Kazakhstan citizenship alongside Daisy Jepkemei, Shadrack Koech, and Caroline Chepkoech after the World Athletics approved their request to represent the Central Asian country at the international level.
Rule 1.4.2 of the World Athletics Charter states that athletes who gain new citizenship or wish to change their status can do so if three years have passed since they competed for their country.
Comments (9)
Kazakhstan? I would like to know the quality of her life in a country with little or no exposure to black people is like.
Iam sure she does not live there 12 months... She trains in Kenya,and that's where she spends time with her family.
She is free to live where ever she wants or pledge allegiance to the country of her choice.I concern is for the athletes of that country.When you have to buy foreigners to run for you, you are denying home grown athletes changes to blossom...
Mlandizi, having spent some time there myself, I can tell you that Kazakhstan people are very friendly and welcoming. They look at black folks with admiration. Plus I can bet she will be making more money there than being a runner in Kenya. By the way no more training in Kenya I suppose...#Just Asking
Baite Murume:I am glad to hear you have been to that country and they are nice people. It is just that whenever I hear of a country that ends in "stan" i imagine horror stories of sharia law, beheadings, anti-Black sentiments, and radicalized Muslim kids running around blowing up everything in sight including Christian churches.
For winning Gold, she will be awarded with 30 million Kenya shillings. I wonder if that will destroy the morale of Kenyan athletes who get a paltry 1 million for same thing...
Majority of the elites athletes that I know don't represent the Country 🇰🇪🇰🇪...Soon there gonna be flight of athletes to other Countries, Our neighbor Uganda does well for their Athletes..Gd reception, gd rewards(Car+Cash) plus Monthly salary..Who cant beat that???
Since she didnt had family name or Godfather back home, She wasn't given opportunities to shine by Kenyan officials but now who's laughing @ world stage???
Kazakhstan GDP per Capita 9000 USD Kenya 1300 USD. And 18m ppl so life 8x better than Kenya. She gets sh30m for gold while Kenya gives 1m. Quiz is will they let her take money out. Bahrain Shaheen cherono had a bad experience after injury. They didn't care about him afterwards. He couldn't take money out. At least Kazakhstan didn't make her convert to Islam
Only in kenya do politics play a role on who competes.
I BELIEVE Norah Jeruto had her reasons as to why.
Again everyone has their God given rights to decide their own destinations.