Mathias Ntawulikura

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 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. 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.

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

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)