Mathias Ntawulikura

(Redirected from Mathias Ntawulikuri)

Mathias Ntawulikura (born 14 June 1964 in Gisovu/Karongi) is a retired Rwandan long-distance runner. He reached the World Athletics Championships final and participated in the Olympic Games in the 5000 metres (1988) and 10,000 metres (1992, 1996) and marathon (2000, 2004). He also participated five times in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

His best Olympic performance was 8th in the 10,000 m at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, a race where the top eight positions were taken by (six) African countries.[1] It is the best position by any Rwandan athlete in the Olympic history. He was forty when he competed in the marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics; of the hundred men who started the race, he came 62nd with a time of 2hours, 26 minutes, 5 seconds.[2]

He is the first (and as of 2010, only) Rwandan to compete at five Olympic Games. The only African to compete in five Olympics before him was Egyptian shooter Mohamed Khorshed. In 2004, Ntawulikura joined three other track and field athletes - Nigerian Mary Onyali, Mozambican Maria Mutola, and Angolan João N'Tyamba in becoming the second African to compete at five Olympics.

He was affiliated with the Pro Patria Milano sporting club in Italy.

International competitions

edit
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing   Rwanda
1991 World Indoor Championships Seville, Spain 7th 3000 m
World Championships Tokyo, Japan 7th 10,000 m
1992 World Cross Country Championships Boston, United States 13th Long race
1993 World Championships Stuttgart, Germany 10th 5000 m 13:28.58
1995 World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 15th 10,000 m
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 8th 10,000 m
2000 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 7th Marathon 2:09:55
Olympic Games Sydney, Australia 15th Marathon 2:16:39
2001 World Championships Edmonton, Canada Marathon DNF
2003 World Championships Paris, France 49th Marathon 2:18:44
2004 Olympic Games Athens, Greece 62nd Marathon 2:26:05

Personal bests

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
edit
Olympic Games
Preceded by Flagbearer for   Rwanda
Athens 2004
Succeeded by