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.Mathias Ntawulikura at Sports Reference 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.Mens Marathon at Sports Reference
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 Representing 1991World Indoor ChampionshipsSeville, Spain7th3000 mWorld ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan7th10,000 m1992World Cross Country ChampionshipsBoston, United States13thLong race1993World ChampionshipsStuttgart, Germany10th5000 m13:28.581995World ChampionshipsGothenburg, Sweden15th10,000 m1996Olympic GamesAtlanta, United States8th10,000 m2000London Marathon London, United Kingdom7thMarathon2:09:55Olympic GamesSydney, Australia15thMarathon2:16:392001World Championships Edmonton, Canada —MarathonDNF2003World Championships Paris, France49thMarathon2:18:442004Olympic Games Athens, Greece62ndMarathon2:26:05
Personal bests 3000 metres - 7:43.09 min (1995) 5000 metres - 13:11.29 min (1992) 10,000 metres - 27:25.48 min (1996) Half marathon - 1:01:41 hrs (2000) Marathon - 2:09:55 hrs (2000)
See also List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
References
External links