It’s a bit of a joke at this stage.
Turkish representative Kaan Kigen Özbilen was the first man home in the ‘European’ Senior men’s cross country race in Samorin, Slovakia on Sunday morning.
It is now four years in a row that athletes who were born, raised and are living in Kenya have claimed the gold medal in the race. Yet each time, they have been representing Turkey.
Last four winners of the senior men's 'European' Cross Country born, raised & live in Kenya, yet represent Turkey
2014: Polat Kemboi Arikan (Paul Kipkosgei Kemboi)
2015: Ali Kaya (Stanley Kiprotich Mukche)
2016: Aras Kaya (Amos Kibitok)
2017: Kaan Kigen Ozbilen (Mike Kigen)— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) December 10, 2017
Indeed, three of the top ten finishers in the race were Kenyans running for Turkey and this dominance led them to the team title in the event.
Four of the Kenyan members of the team were handed a Turkish flag to celebrate their triumph. They smiled, posing for photographs without knowing that they were holding the flag upside down.
The last Turk home in the race was Alpar Demir, who came in 55th place. Coincidentally, he was the only member of their team to have been born in Turkey.
He seemed to shake his head as he walked over to turn the flag the right way around.
HA!!! Did you see the actual Turk showing the Kenyans which way round the flag went??? 😂 #EuroXC pic.twitter.com/Dq51Hr01iW
— The Backstraight Boys Podcast (@BackstraightB) December 10, 2017
He sure wasn’t the only one shaking his head.
It’s a real shame and makes a farce out of the event. It’s unfair on athletes like Tipperary’s Sean Tobin, Ireland’s first man home on the day, who finished the race in 15th. The Irish men’s team finished in a creditable fifth place in the team event.
Hugh Armstrong from Ballina followed Tobin home in 19th place while Kevin Maunsell completed the Irish scorecard with his 24th place finish. Paul Pollock (48th), Kevin Dooney (51st), and John Travers (72nd) were the remaining members of the team.
Irish men’s team a super 5th #Samorin2017 pic.twitter.com/L7eJjslvr3
— Athletics Ireland (@irishathletics) December 10, 2017
Ireland’s leading cross-country light over the last ten years, Fionnuala McCormack has been done out of the medals on countless occasions in the past by Turkish team.
McCormack raced in a record 15th European Championship on Sunday and was Ireland’s main hope going into the senior women’s race.
She had to settle for 12th on Sunday. Again it was a Kenyan Turk that claimed the gold medal, with Yasemin Can the first to pass the post.
