Thierry Ndikumwenayo (born 26 March 1997) is a long-distance runner, most well known for his cross-country running results. Born in Burundi, he represents Spain internationally. He previously competed for his country of birth.
Biography Junior athlete (2012–2016) Ndikumwenayo was introduced to athletics in 2012 by a friend, who challenged him to a race. By 2014, as a 17-year-old, he won the silver medal in the boys' 3000 metres event at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics held in Nanjing, China. After that performance, he was invited to train in Spain as part of a project offering opportunities to Burundian and Sudanese runners. He subsequently became a member of Playas de Castellon athletics club, who paid for his accommodation. During this time, he continued representing Burundi, coming 7th in 5000 m at the 2015 African Junior Championships, and 9th in the 2015 All-Africa Games. In 2016, he came 7th in the 5000 m at the African Championships, and ran 28:14 for 4th at the 10 km Corrida de Houilles.
2017–2021 Ndikumwenayo's 2017 season included his first taste of international cross country racing, placing 95th in the senior men's race at the 2017 IAAF World Cross Country Championships held in Kampala, Uganda. He also ran a then personal best 5000 m time at the Gala dei Casteilli in Bellinzona (13:25.55).
In 2018, Ndikumwenayo competed at his first world indoor championships. He went out in his 3000 m heat. He also competed at the ECCC Championships, winning the 5000 m and coming second over 3000 m for Playas de Castellon.
In 2019, he competed in the senior men's race at the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships held in Aarhus, Denmark, finishing in 9th place, an improvement of 86 places on two years earlier. This performance qualified him for the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar, but he did not finish his race in the 10,000 m. Later that year, he won the men's race at the Cross Internacional de la Constitución held in Alcobendas, Spain.
His 2020 and 2021 seasons were both curtailed by the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, which meant that he did not race outside of the Iberian Peninsula. During this period, he set a marginal PB over 5000 m with 13:25.30, and won the 2021 Almond Blossom Cross Country. In the latter part of 2021, however, he failed to display much form in cross country; his best place was 6th in the Cross de Atapuerca, and he came a disappointing 36th at the Cross Internacional de Italica, held in Santiponce, Sevilla.
2022–present 2022 was Ndikumwenayo's breakthrough season. He started the year with a 10 km PB in Castellon of 28:04, and went on to win the Gran Premio Campo a Traves in Serradilla, Spain. He ran as a pacemaker in the Barcelona Half Marathon and Madrid Marathon. Ndikumwenayo began his track season in May at the Desafio Nerja, and ran a near-19 second 5000 m personal best of 13:06.58. Three weeks later, he marginally improved his best time over the distance at the Meeting Iberoamericano in Huelva, placing third in 13:06.46. The improvements in his times and performances gained him an entry to the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Rome (his first Diamond League race), where he ran a PB and NR of 12:59.39 for 8th. He raced several more times on the Diamond League circuit over the course of that year: he was 2nd at the Meeting de Paris 5000 m (13:05.24) and finished 5th over 3000 m at the Bauhaus-Galan (7:34.91 PB), before suffering an injury setback which ruled him out of the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon. He later shocked an incredible field to win his first ever Diamond League race in the Herculis 3000 m. He ran a Burundian national record, a world-leading time, and Diamond League record to win in 7:25.94. He came 11th in the 5000 m at the Memorial Van Damme (13:10.71), and competed in the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League Final, but did not finish the race. His 2022 cross country season began with 3 successive victories in the Cross Internacional de Soria, Cross de Atapuerca and Cross de Italica, at about which time he gained Spanish citizenship.
Statistics Circuit performances
Achievements Representing 2014Summer Youth OlympicsNanjing, China2nd3000 m8:06.052015African Junior ChampionshipsAddis Ababa, Ethiopia7th5000 m15:11.49African GamesBrazzaville, Republic of Congo9th5000 m13:27.382016African ChampionshipsDurban, South Africa7th5000 m13:26.242017World Cross Country ChampionshipsKampala, Uganda95th10 km XC32:552018World Indoor ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom14th (h)3000 m8:09.112019World Cross Country ChampionshipsAarhus, Denmark9th10 km XC32:29World ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar -10,000 mDNFRepresenting 2023European GamesChorzów, Poland1st5000 m13:25.48World ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary9th (h)5000 m13:34.032024World Cross Country ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia9th10 km XC28:36European ChampionshipsRome, Italy5th5000 m13:23.263rd10,000 m28:00.96Olympic GamesParis, France15th5000 m13:24.079th10,000 m26:49.492025World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan14th (h)5000 m13:47.729th10,000 m28:59.07
References
External links
Thierry Ndikumwenayo at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics Thierry Ndikumwenayo – COE – Paris 2024