Background
He was born Stanley Kiprotich Mukche on April 20, 1994 in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya.
He was born Stanley Kiprotich Mukche on April 20, 1994 in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya.
He holds the 10,000 m European record for juniors, set in 2013. In 2010, he moved to Turkey and adopted the Turkish name Ali Kaya. Following his naturalization in 2013, he became officially eligible to represent his new home country in international competitions on June 20 the same year.
In the 10,000 m event, he set a new Turkish national record with a time of 28:31.16.
He caused a scandal following the race when he abruptly left the championship for Kenya without showing up at the medal ceremony. According to the Turkish Athletics Federation, he travelled to Kenya in order to join a four-day training session in Kenya with his fellow countryman and naturalized Turk İlham Tanui Özbilen.
He became the youngest medalist ever in the European 10.000 final. At the World Championships in Beijing 2015 he was one of only four athletes to reach the final of both the 10.000m and the 5000m.
He finished 7th in 10000m and 9th in 5000m.