Kenyan Olympics medalist Kipyego is now a US citizen

Sally Jepkosgei Kipyego of Kenya catches a breath after finishing the Women's 10000 metres final at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for IAAF)

Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Sally Kipyego on Wednesday announced her new found United States citizenship in a Twitter post that quickly elicited questions over whether she will continue to compete as a Kenyan athlete.

Kipyego who also won the 2011 World 10,000m silver medal entered South Plains Junior College in Levelland, Texas in 2005 and has since been residing in the US.

Also Read: Aprot prepares to take up Cheruiyot’s track mantle

At Texas, she won a record equaling nine National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles and became the only female to ever win three Big 12 Conference Cross Country titles between 2006 and 2008.

“It has been 12 years and 8 days since I first landed in America. Today I became a US citizen!” Kipyego wrote on her Twitter account. Kipyego’s 5000m PB of 14:30 is faster than the American record (14:38) and her 10,000m PB (30:26) would put her third all-time in the US.

Kipyego who failed to make the Kenyan Rio 2016 Olympic team is now focusing on the marathon after finishing second behind compatriot Mary Keitany at the 2016 New York City Marathon.

Kenya’s current constitution allows dual citizenship meaning the 31-year-old is still a Kenyan citizen.