Marthe Yankurije

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Marthe Yankurije
Personal information
Born (1994-07-05) 5 July 1994 (age 29)[1]
Home townNyamasheke District, Rwanda
Years active2014–present
Sport
Country Rwanda
SportRunning
Events
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals2020
Regional finals2019
National finals2018
Medal record
Long-distance running
Rwandan National Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 10,000 metres
Gold medal – first place 2018 Cross-country

Marthe Yankurije (born 5 July 1994) is a Rwandan long-distance runner. In 2018, she won her country's 10,000 metres and Cross-Country Championships. She also won the half marathon race at the 2021 Kigali International Peace Marathon, and competed in the 5,000 metres event at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics.

Career[edit]

Yankurije competes for the APR Athletics Club; prior to 2016, she competed at Nyamasheke Athletics Club.[2] She started athletics at the age of 11.[2] She debuted at the 2014 Kigali half marathon, finishing fifth, and later in the year, she competed at the 2014 African Cross Country Championships, finishing 35th.[2] She came fourth in the half marathon event at the 2017 Kigali International Peace Marathon[2] and won the 20 kilometres (12 mi) event in Bugesera.[3] Yankurije won the 10,000 metres event at the 2018 Rwandan National Championships.[4] In the same year, she won the Rwandan national Cross-Country Championships,[5] and came third in the half marathon event at the 2018 Kigali International Peace Marathon,[6] and the Dar Marathon in Tanzania.[7]

In 2019, she came second in that year's Kigali International Peace Marathon half marathon race,[8] and won the 20 kilometres (12 mi) event in Bugesera again.[3] In the same year, she competed in the 10,000 metres event at the 2019 African Games; she was one of only two Rwandan athletes at the Games.[2] In 2020, she won the Huye Half Marathon in a time of 1:15:15.[9] She also finished third in a virtual Trier 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) race.[10]

In May 2021, she competed in the Zambian Track and Field Championships in Lusaka, a qualification event for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[11] In June, she won the Kigali International Peace Marathon half marathon race. As a result, she was given the Rwandan wildcard place to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[12] She competed in the 5,000 metres event;[13] she finished 17th in her heat, and did not progress.[14]

Personal life[edit]

Yankurije was born in July 1994.[2] She is from Nyamasheke District, Rwanda.[2] At school, she played association football and handball.[2] She left school early, during her fourth year of secondary school in 2012.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Marthe Yankurije". Olympedia. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Marthe Yankurije's journey from school dropout to athletics stardom". The New Times. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Athletics: APR runners dominate Bugesera 20km race". The New Times. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Rwanda championship, Kigali 1/07/2018". Africatle. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Hitimana, Yankurije are national cross-country champions". The New Times. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Kenyans sweep medals at Kigali International Peace Marathon". Daijiworld Media. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  7. ^ "RAF hails duo after Dar Marathon heroics". The New Times. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Rwandan Marthe Yankurije Wins Silver Medal in Kigali International Peace Marathon". Inyarwanda. 17 June 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Muhitira na Yankurije ni bo begukanye Huye Half Marathon 2020". Imvaho Nshya (in Kinyarwanda). 21 January 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Vielerorts für statt in Trier unterwegs". Runner's World (in German). 10 January 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  11. ^ "JO Tokyo 2020 (TQO) :Les rwandaises Marthe Yankurije et Honorine Iribagiza en Zambie pour une ultime chance de qualification". Africa Foot United (in French). 15 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Martha Yankurije turns focus to Olympic Games". The New Times. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Tokyo 2020 Games: Are Rwandan athletes ready?". The New Times. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Athletics - Round 1 - Heat 2 Results". Olympics.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.

External links[edit]