Kenya's World Athletes

Not all Olympians in the quest for gold retain allegiance to their country of birth. These are some prominent Kenyans who have changed sides.

Over 30 former Kenyan runners are competing for adopted nations rather than their country of birth at the Rio Olympics. They include European gold medal winner Polat Kemboi Arikan and runner-up Ali Kaya who will represent Turkey in the men's 10,000 meters.

Kenyan-born Tarik Langat Akdag (Patrick Kipkirui) runs for Turkey in the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase. He acquired Turkish citizenship in 2011 and is a European silver medalist (2012) and Olympic finalist (2012) in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, the European Athletics website noted.

Rio will be 41-year-old Bernard Lagat's (5,000 meters) fifth Olympics, two for Kenya (Sidney 2000, Athens 2004) and the three for the US (Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016

Paul Chelimo, is from Iten in Kenya. He told AP he enlisted in the US Army, earned US citizenship and trained with the Army's World Class Athlete Program. He will be competing in the men's 5,000 meters. Fellow Kenyan-born US soldier-athletes at Rio include Leonard Korir (10,000m) Shadrack Kipchirchir (10,000m) and Hillary Bor (3,000m steeplechase).

22-year-old Kenyan born Abraham Kipchirchir Rotich is competing for Bahrain in the men's 800 meters.

Kenyan-born Ruth Jebet competes for Bahrain in the women's 3,000 meter steeplechase and she's widely tipped to win.

Kenyan-born athlete Lucia Kimani-Marcetic is running in the women's marathon. She is the first Bosnian athlete ever to compete in three Olympic games.