Vénuste Niyongabo

Birth dateDec 9, 1973

BirthplaceCommune of Vugizo, Burundi

Height1.76 m

Weight60 kg

Vénuste Niyongabo (born December 9, 1973) is a Burundian former long and middle-distance runner. In 1996, he became the first Olympic medalist from Burundi by winning the 5000 metres at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He had only competed twice before in that event prior to winning the gold medal.

Key facts

1500 m

3:29.18

#28 all-time

2000 Metres

4:48.69

2006 season best

1:09:59

Mar 5, 2006 · Ferrara (ITA)

2006 season best

Medals

Olympic Games: 1 gold · World Championships: 1 bronze

Record

National record · 1500 m 3:29.18

National record

Age

52 years old

As of Sep 14, 2026: 1500 m 3:29.18 (#28 all-time), 2000 Metres 4:48.69, 2006 season best 1:09:59 (Mar 5, 2006, Ferrara (ITA)) · Olympic Games: 1 gold · World Championships: 1 bronze · National record (1500 m) · 52 years old

Personal bests

1:45.13

3:29.18

3:46.70

7:34.03

13:03.29

1:09:59

3:33.17

4:48.69

4:54.76

7:37.82

2:15.62

2:15.62

8:17.56

🏅

Medals

	🥇	🥈	🥉	Total
Olympic Games	1	-	-	1
World Championships	-	-	1	1
Total	1	-	1	2

Performance Charts

Season bests

Season	Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Trend	Competitions
2006	Semi	1:09:59	-	Mar 5, 2006	↑	Ferrara (ITA)
2005	Semi	1:10:10	-	Apr 3, 2005	↑	Bologna (ITA)
2003	1500m	3:46.92	-	Jun 20, 2003	↓	Conegliano (ITA)
2003	3000m	8:11.94	-	Jun 10, 2003	↓	Napoli (ITA)
2003	5000m	14:19.22	-	Jun 12, 2003	↓	Avellino (ITA)
2000	1500m	3:39.66	-	Jul 3, 2000	↓	Zagreb (CRO)
2000	3000m	7:56.73	-	Jul 26, 2000	↓	Barletta (ITA)
2000	5000m	13:31.20	-	Aug 25, 2000	↓	Bruxelles Memorial Van Damme
1999	1500m	3:39.83	-	Jul 26, 1999	↓	Linz (AUT)
1999	3000m	8:01.8h	-	Jul 10, 1999	↓	San Marino (SMR)
1998	1500m-short-track	3:33.17	-	Feb 22, 1998	↑	Liévin (FRA) (i)
1998	1500m	3:33.17	-	Feb 22, 1998	↓	Liévin (FRA) (i)
1998	Mile	3:55.24	-	May 31, 1998	↓	Eugene, OR (USA)
1997	800m	1:46.93	-	Jun 24, 1997	↑	Torino (ITA)
1997	1500m	3:29.18	-	Aug 22, 1997	↓	Bruxelles (BEL)
1997	Mile	3:46.70	-	Aug 26, 1997	↓	Olympiastadion, Berlin (GER)
1997	2000m	4:49.00	-	Sep 3, 1997	↑	Rieti (ITA)
1996	800m	1:46.39	-	May 18, 1996	↑	Formia (ITA)
1996	1500m	3:30.09	-	Jul 8, 1996	↓	Stockholm (SWE)
1996	1500m-short-track	3:35.19	-	Feb 14, 1996	↑	Moskva (RUS) (i)
1996	Mile	3:51.01	-	Aug 30, 1996	↓	Berlin (GER)
1996	2000m	4:52.30	-	May 29, 1996	↑	Bratislava (SVK)
1996	2000Metres	4:54.76	-	Feb 18, 1996	-	Liévin (FRA) (i)
1996	3000m	7:34.03	-	Aug 16, 1996	↓	Köln (GER)
1996	3000m-short-track	7:39.33	-	Feb 11, 1996	↑	Paris (FRA) (i)
1996	5000m	13:03.29	-	Jun 3, 1996	↓	St-Denis (FRA)
1995	1000m-short-track	2:15.62	-	Feb 27, 1995	-	Stockholm (SWE) (i)
1995	1000m	2:15.63	-	Jul 18, 1995	↑	Stockholm (SWE) (i)
1995	1500m	3:30.78	-	Jul 21, 1995	↓	Oslo (NOR)
1995	1500m-short-track	3:36.33	-	Mar 4, 1995	↑	Sindelfingen (GER) (i)
1995	Mile	3:49.80	-	Aug 27, 1995	↓	London (GBR)
1995	2000m	4:48.69	-	Jul 12, 1995	↑	Nice (FRA)
1995	3000m	7:35.91	-	Sep 9, 1995	↓	Monaco IAAF Grand Prix Final
1995	3000m-short-track	7:37.82	-	Feb 25, 1995	↑	Birmingham (GBR) (i)
1995	2Miles	8:17.56	-	Sep 27, 1995	-	Trapani (ITA)
1994	800m	1:45.13	-	Jul 24, 1994	↑	Rovereto (ITA)
1994	1000m	2:15.91	-	Sep 6, 1994	↑	Madrid (ESP)
1994	1500m	3:30.66	-	Jul 8, 1994	↓	Villeneuve d'Ascq (FRA)
1994	1500m-short-track	3:38.46	-	Feb 28, 1994	↑	Pireaus (GRE) (i)
1994	Mile	3:48.94	-	Jul 22, 1994	↓	Bislett Stadion, Oslo (NOR)
1994	3000m	7:49.22	-	Feb 9, 1994	↓	Gent (BEL) (i)
1994	3000m-short-track	7:49.22	-	Feb 9, 1994	↑	Gent (BEL) (i)
1993	800m	1:46.15	-	Sep 11, 1993	↑	Cagliari (ITA)
1993	1500m	3:36.30	-	Jul 21, 1993	↓	Nice (FRA)
1993	1500m-short-track	3:48.92	-	Mar 12, 1993	↑	IAAF World Indoor Championships, The Sky Dome, Toronto (i)
1993	Mile	3:54.71	-	Sep 3, 1993	↓	Bruxelles (BEL)
1993	2000m	4:58.15	-	Jul 3, 1993	↑	Noisy-le-Grand (FRA)
1992	800m	1:47.28	-	Sep 19, 1992	↑	Olympic Stadium, Seoul (KOR)
1992	1500m	3:38.59	-	Sep 20, 1992	↓	Seoul IAAF World Junior Championships

2006

2 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
Semi	1:09:59	-	Mar 5	Roma-Ostia Half Marathon, Ostia
Semi	1:10:08	-	Feb 19	Ferrara Corriferrara Half Marathon, Ferrara

2005

1 performance

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
Semi	1:10:10	-	Apr 3	Bologna Half Marathon, Bologna

2003

4 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
1500m	3:46.92	-	Jun 20	Conegliano Toni Fallai Memorial, Conegliano
5000m	14:19.22	-	Jun 12	Avellino International Meeting, Avellino
3000m	8:11.94	-	Jun 10	Napoli International Meeting, Napoli
1500m	3:50.48	-	May 17	Palermo Italian Club Championships, Palermo

2000

10 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
5000m	13:49.57	-	Sep 27	The XXVII Olympic Games
5000m	13:49.57	-	Sep 22	The XXVII Olympic Games
5000m	14:00.55	-	Sep 2	Patra Tofalia, Patra
5000m	13:31.20	-	Aug 25	Bruxelles Memorial Van Damme
5000m	13:44.90	-	Aug 5	Lisbon International Meeting, Lisboa
1500m	3:41.12	-	Jul 29	Funchal Meeting Internacional de Madeira, Funchal
3000m	7:56.73	-	Jul 26	Barletta
1500m	3:39.66	-	Jul 3	Zagreb Meeting 2000, Zagreb
3000m	7:56.75	-	Jun 28	Athens Tsiklitiria, Athina
5000m	13:38.55	-	Jun 14	Avellino

1999

3 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
1500m	3:41.87	-	Aug 21	IAAF World Championships, La Cartuja, Sevilla
1500m	3:39.83	-	Jul 26	Linz Zipfer-Gugl Grand Prix, Linz
3000m	8:01.8HT	-	Jul 10	San Marino

1998

3 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
Mile	3:55.24	-	May 31	Eugene Prefontaine Classic, Eugene, OR
1500m-short-track	3:33.17	-	Feb 22	Meeting Gaz de France du pas de Calais, Liévin (i)
1500m-short-track	3:34.05	-	Feb 19	Stockholm Globen Galan, Stockholm (i)

1997

15 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
Mile	4:04.95	-	Sep 13	Fukuoka IAAF Grand Prix Final
1500m	3:39.73	-	Sep 7	Gateshead Bupa Games, Gateshead
2000m	4:49.00	-	Sep 3	Rieti '97, Rieti
Mile	3:54.1	-	Sep 3	-
Mile	3:46.70	-	Aug 26	Berlin ISTAF, Olympiastadion, Berlin
1500m	3:31.23	-	Aug 26	-
1500m	3:29.18	-	Aug 22	Bruxelles Memorial van Damme, Bruxelles
1500m	3:30.47	-	Aug 16	Monte Carlo Herculis '97, Stade Louis II, Monaco
1500m	3:29.43	-	Aug 13	Weltklasse Zürich, Zürich
1500m	3:34.70	-	Jul 14	Salamanca Gran Premio Internacional, Helmántico, Salamanca
1500m	3:32.14	-	Jul 7	Stockholm DN Galan, Stockholm
1500m	3:32.93	-	Jul 4	-
Mile	3:48.26	-	Jul 4	Oslo Mobil Bislett Games, Oslo
Mile	3:53.28	-	Jun 29	Sheffield Securicor Games, Sheffield
800m	1:46.93	-	Jun 24	Torino International, Torino

1996

12 performances

Discipline	Result	Wind	Date	Competitions
1500m	3:39.92	-	Sep 7	Milano IAAF Grand Prix Final
1500m	3:31.01	-	Sep 1	Rieti '96, Rieti
1500m	3:35.0	-	Aug 30	-
Mile	3:51.01	-	Aug 30	Berlin ISTAF, Berlin
3000m	7:34.03	-	Aug 16	Köln Int. Sparkassen Cup, Köln
1500m	3:30.90	-	Aug 14	Weltklasse Zürich, Zürich
5000m	13:07.96	-	Aug 3	The XXVI Olympic Games, Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, GA
5000m	14:03.48	-	Aug 1	The XXVI Olympic Games, Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, GA
5000m	13:54.53	-	Jul 31	The XXVI Olympic Games, Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, GA
5000m	13:07.96	-	Jul 26	The XXVI Olympic Games, Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, GA
5000m	13:54.53	-	Jul 26	The XXVI Olympic Games, Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, GA
5000m	14:03.48	-	Jul 26	The XXVI Olympic Games, Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, GA

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is Vénuste Niyongabo's 1500 m personal best?

Vénuste Niyongabo's 1500 m personal best is 3:29.18, set on Aug 22, 1997 in Bruxelles (BEL), #28 on the all-time list.

Which events does Vénuste Niyongabo compete in?

Vénuste Niyongabo competes in the 1500 m and 2000 Metres.

How did Vénuste Niyongabo perform in 2006?

2006 season best: 1:09:59, set on Mar 5, 2006 in Ferrara (ITA).

How many medals has Vénuste Niyongabo won?

Vénuste Niyongabo has won 1 Olympic Games medal and 1 World Championships medal.

Vénuste Niyongabo

Personal bests

Medals

Performance Charts

Season bests

2006

2005

2003

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

Honours

Frequently asked questions