Olympic discus gold medallist Rojé Stona has broken his silence on his recent decision to switch national allegiance from Jamaica to Turkey, describing the move as a purely professional and economic decision.
The 26-year-old made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by becoming Jamaica’s first-ever gold medallist in the men’s discus event. However, Stona shocked the athletics world earlier this year when he, along with fellow athletes Rajindra Campbell, Wayne Pinnock, and Jaydon Hibbert, opted to represent Turkey on the international stage.
“I think it was just a smart decision on my end,” Stona said. “The offer came up and, you know, based on how my career is going, I think it was the smartest decision so far. I got to think about it as I’m a professional, so I just took up the offer as it came to me.”
Stona’s most recent performance came at the London Diamond League over the weekend, where he finished fifth in the men’s discus with a throw of 64.71 metres. Despite the media attention surrounding his nationality change, the reigning National Sportsman of the Year insisted that the switch wasn’t a difficult or emotional one.
“Not really that hard,” he explained. “Because, again, it wasn’t anything personal. It was just on a professional level. Also, I indulged in a little bit of football this year as well, and that’s one reason why I started my season late. I was likely to sign and start with a team in the NFL and probably not throw with Jamaica anymore, so I mean it was kind of one of them dilemmas.”
Earlier this year, Stona was invited to participate in the NFL’s International Player Pathway Programme. He also received invitations to rookie mini camps with the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints in May 2024, raising questions about whether his future might lie on the gridiron instead of the throwing circle.
