Tareq Mubarak Taher, born as Dennis Kipkurui Sang (, born 1 December 1986), is a middle-distance runner who represents Bahrain after changing nationality from Kenya. His speciality is the 3000 metres steeplechase. His personal best time of 8:06.13 minutes is also the Bahraini national record, set on 13 July 2009 at the Athens Grand Prix Tsiklitiria. Ascent in international athletics The allegiance transfer from Kenya to Bahrain took place on 1 January 2005. Taher emerged on the international athletics scene at the 2005 World Cross Country Championships, where he finished ninth in the junior race. He later competed at the 2005 World Youth Championships in Marrakech, Morocco where he won the 2000 metres steeplechase event. Reportedly, Taher "made it look easy" as he let other runners lead the race until he broke away at the final water jump. With the time 5:23.95 minutes he set a new world youth's best performance. The previous best performance belonged to Kenyan Ronald Kipchumba Rutto with 5:27.64 minutes. Identity controversy Not soon after, however, questions arose over the identity of Taher. István Gyulai, then-Secretary General of the International Association of Athletics Federations, asked Isaiah Kiplagat, president of Athletics Kenya, to help shed light on the issue. Born in Kenya under a different name, it was claimed that the identity of Taher was altered upon his switch to Bahrain, to qualify for international junior and youth events. According to the East African Standard, Taher had supposedly beaten Eliud Kipchoge in a junior cross-country race in 2001. Kiplagat was quoted as saying that "I have already told IAAF that the two runners are cheats and we have the proof". Both his former name, substituted with an Arabic name upon arrival in Bahrain, and his reported birth date were subjects of investigation for the following two years. According to the official Bahraini papers, Taher was born 1 December 1989 and named Dennis Sang. This purported birthdate would make him eligible to compete at the 2005 World Youth Championships which is open to athletes aged seventeen and less. However, both Kenya and the IAAF claim that Taher was indeed formerly named Dennis Kipkurui Keter and born on 24 March 1984. If this were the case, Taher would be 21 years old at the time of the World Youth Championships and ineligible to compete. Career continues While age investigations were ongoing, Taher was allowed to continue his career both