Our Champion for Peace
Venuste NIYONGABO
Athletics - Middle distance
Burundi
All you need are rules, like in sport and where there are rules there’s respect, when there’s respect, there’s peace.
Biography / Awards
Atlanta 1996 – Vénuste became the first and only Olympic gold medal-winner in the history of Burundi in the 5000m run.
Selected favourite in the 1500m, he decided to give his place to his compatriot who wasn’t able to take part in the previous Olympics as Burundi was not part of the Olympic family yet.
He’s been an active member of the Champions for Peace club since 2009 and he is the figurehead of the Friendship Games in the Great Lakes region of Africa. Olympic, Olympic Champion.