Marthe Yankurije

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.

Marthe Yankurije
Personal information
Born (1994-07-05) 5 July 1994[1]
Home townNyamasheke District, Rwanda
Years active2014–present
Sport
Country Rwanda
SportRunning
Event(s)
Achievements and titles
Regional finals2019
National finals2018
Olympic finals2020
Medal record
Long-distance running
Rwandan National Championships
Gold medal – first place201810,000 metres
Gold medal – first place2018Cross-country

Career

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

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
  1. "Marthe Yankurije". Olympedia. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  2. "Marthe Yankurije's journey from school dropout to athletics stardom". The New Times. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  3. "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.
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