After Ruth Jebet won the 3000-meter steeplechase yesterday, she stood on the top step above fellow Kenya native Hyvin Jepkemoi, received her gold medal from another Kenyan, Paul Tergat, then turned to watch the Bahraini flag ascend to the top of the flagpole. The 19-year-old Jebet was born in Kenya, but she began running internationally for Bahrain in 2013. She earned the tiny gulf nation’s first gold medal the same day that Eunice Kirwa, another runner from Kenya, won them their first silver. Bahrain has a total of three Olympic medals, all earned by East African runners who switched their nationalities to compete for Bahrain. Athletes competing for nations has been around as long as Games themselves. Even in the ancient Olympics, athletes would occasionally compete for rival city-st…