Several Jamaican Olympians are switching allegiance to Turkey, according to a report by Omilia Sports, which broke the news on Thursday.
Long jumper Wayne Pinnock, triple jump sensation Jaydon Hibbert, and Olympic medal-winning throwers Rajindra Campbell and Roje Stona are all reportedly making the move, marking a major shift in Jamaica’s track and field landscape.
Pinnock, who won silver in the long jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is said to be in the process of finalizing his transfer. The 23-year-old also boasts multiple NCAA titles and was one of Jamaica’s top prospects in horizontal jumps. His switch comes amid a broader wave of elite athletes seeking greater support and financial opportunities abroad.
Hibbert, a multiple-time Jamaican and NCAA champion in the triple jump, is expected to complete his transfer in less than 20 days. He finished just off the podium in Paris, placing fourth in his Olympic debut. Widely regarded as a generational talent, Hibbert has consistently ranked among the world’s best, dominating collegiate competition with distances approaching the world record mark.
Meanwhile, Rajindra Campbell and Roje Stona—Jamaica’s only male throwers to medal at the 2024 Games—have completed their switches to the country. Campbell secured bronze in the men’s shot put, and Stona made headlines by breaking the Olympic record in the men’s discus with a 70.00m throw. Their podium finishes in Paris marked the first time Jamaican athletes had medaled in those disciplines at the Olympics.
Stona’s journey is particularly notable, as he briefly pursued a career in American football with hopes of joining the NFL before returning to track and field. In January, he also clinched the Sportsman of the Year title with an awe-inspiring season highlighted by historic milestones.
These athletes join a growing list of Jamaican-born stars who have changed allegiance to Turkey, including sprinters Jacques Harvey and Winston Barnes. Harvey, now known as Jak Ali Harvey, shares the Jamaican 100m national record of 9.92 seconds. Barnes, who goes by Emre Zafer Barnes, was part of the Turkish relay squad that set a national 4x100m record of 37.98 seconds.
The trend has sparked renewed debate in Jamaican sports circles about the level of institutional support available to elite athletes, particularly in less-celebrated disciplines such as field events. With global competition for talent intensifying, the departures may force a closer look at how developing nations can better invest in and retain their top performers.
