FRANCINE NIYONSABA

OkayAfrica's 100 Women celebrates African women who are making waves, shattering ceilings, and uplifting their communities.

FRANCINE NIYONSABA

Representing Burundi, Olympic runner Francine Niyonsaba specializes in the 800m running events. She won the first silver medal for Burundi since 1996 in last year’s Olympics.



Niyonsaba is a national record holder, having improved her own record in August 2012 in the Summer Olympics. The first time she set a record was at the African Championships in Athletics event in 2012, where she won her first gold medal. Niyonsaba won her second gold medal at the World Indoor Championships in 2016. We hope to see her win another medal in three years.



-AA

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OkayAfrica is the premiere digital platform bringing the worlds of African music, art, culture, style, sports and politics to a global audience. Founded in 2010 as an extension of Okayplayer, OkayAfrica serves as a cultural bridge to foster deeper understanding of the continent, while also building meaningful connections with its diaspora.

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