NIYONSABA Francine

Date of Birth: 5 May 1993

Age: 28

Gender: Female

Place of birth: NKANDA BWERU

Birth Country:

Burundi

Place of residence : EUGENE, OR

Residence Country:

United States of America

Events and Medals
Records
Schedule
Bio
General Interest
Milestones

Events and Medals

Discipline	Event	Rank	Medal
Athletics	Women's 5000m
	Women's 10,000m	5

Schedule

Start Time	Location	Event	Status
	Olympic Stadium - Track	Women's 5000m Round 1 - Heat 2	Finished
	Olympic Stadium - Track	Women's 10,000m Final	Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

Olympic Games

Year	Location	800m
2016	Rio de Janeiro, BRA	2nd (1:56.49)
2012	London, GBR	5th (1:59.63)

World Athletics Championships

Year	Location	800m
2017	London, GBR	2nd (1:55.92)

African Championships

Year	Location	800m
2018	Asaba, NGR	2nd (1:57.97)

Diamond League overview - Three best ranks per season and event since 2017

Year	800m
2019	1 x 2nd
2018	2 x 1st, 3 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd
2017	2 x 1st, 3 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd

Diamond League - Ten best performances since 2020

Rank	Year	Event	Location	Result
1	2018	800m	Rabat, MAR	1:57.90
1	2018	800m	Lausanne, SUI	1:57.80
1	2017	800m	Lausanne, SUI	1:56.82
1	2017	800m	Stockholm, SWE	1:59.11
2	2019	800m	Doha, QAT	1:57.75
2	2018	800m	Monaco, MON	1:55.96
2	2018	800m	Paris Saint-Denis, FRA	1:55.86
2	2018	800m	Oslo, NOR	1:58.57
2	2017	800m	Zurich, SUI	1:56.71
2	2017	800m	Monaco, MON	1:55.47
2	2017	800m	Oslo, NOR	1:58.18

World Challenge - Ten best performances since 2020

Rank	Year	Event	Competition	Location	Result
3	2017	600m	World Challenge	Berlin, GER	1:23.18

World Indoor Championships

Year	Location	800m
2018	Birmingham, GBR	1st (1:58.31)

Legend
SF - Semifinal, QF - Quarterfinal, 1R - 1st Round, Qual. - Qualification, QR - Qualification Round, DNF - Did Not Finish, DNS - Did Not Start, DQ - Disqualified, NM - No Mark, [Relay athlete without time] - Did not run in final

Princess of Burundi (oregonlive.com, 30 Jan 2019)

Occupation:

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

Languages spoken:

English, French

Injury kept her out of competitive action from the middle of 2013 until early 2015. (IAAF, 14 Mar 2016)

She took up the sport in 2009 at high school. (ppbdi.com, 13 Jul 2012)

She was encouraged by her mother, who had an interest in athletics. (rfi.fr, 24 Jul 2012)

To compete in the 5000m at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (olympics.nbcsports.com, 08 Feb 2021)

Her mother. (ppbdi.com, 13 Jul 2012)

Philosophy:

"Laughing is a free medicine. Laugh often, without measure." (Twitter profile, 23 Jan 2020)

General Interest

General
HYPERANDROGENISM
She has hyperandrogenism, a condition characterised by the production of more testosterone than women without the condition. She has been affected by eligibility rules introduced in 2018 by the International Association of Athletics Federations on athletes with differences of sexual development [DSD] that impact the 800m event in which she won silver at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "For me, it's about discrimination. It doesn't make sense. For sure, I didn't choose to be born like this. I love running, and I will not stop running." (olympics.com, 25 Sep 2019)

COMPASSION
She represents the United Nations Children's Fund [UNICEF] in Burundi as a motivational speaker. "I want to inspire them to dream, to believe in themselves. I tell them they push me. Their support gives me motivation." (oregonlive.com, 30 Jan 2019)

Milestones

She became the first female [in any sport] representing Burundi to win a medal at the Olympic Games when she claimed silver in the 800m at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. (IAAF, 20 Aug 2016)

Social Media

Legend

:: Gold Medal Event
:: Silver Medal Event
:: Bronze Medal Event

Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos