Diane Nukuri (born 1 December 1984, in Kigozi-Mukike) is a Burundian-American professional distance runner. She competed for Burundi as a fifteen-year-old in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney in the 5,000m and in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London in the marathon. Nukuri ran for the University of Iowa in college. She was the Burundian flag bearer at the Summer Olympics in 2000 and 2012.

Early life Nukuri began running in her early teens, starting little more than a year prior to her first Olympic experience (the 2000 Olympics in Sydney). She ran in the junior IAAF World Cross Country Championships twice, placing 18th in 2000 and 27th the following year.Nukuri Diane. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-07-29. She won the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2001 Francophone Games in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.Francophone Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2012-07-29. After the games, Nukuri fled to Toronto, seeking asylum from the Burundi civil war. At the time, Nukuri had already lost her father to the conflict, and she knew she would have no running career had she stayed in Burundi. She was granted asylum, and lived with relatives in Pickering, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto.

The University of Iowa and Butler CCC Nukuri continued to run while living in Canada and began drawing interest from cross country and distance track coaches from American universities, in particular the University of Iowa. However, Nukuri spoke very little English, so she attended Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. At Butler, Nukuri trained under Kirk Hunter while learning English (her third language), taking classes, and amassing 9 NJCAA national championships and 17 NJCAA All-American honors. After two seasons at Butler, Nukuri transferred to the University of Iowa to work with coach Layne Anderson, who recruited Diane directly out of high school. Anderson was largely responsible for Nukuri attending Butler.

In her time at Iowa, Nukuri won two Big Ten Championships, in cross-country (2007) and the 5,000 meters in outdoor track (2008). She was named an All-American three times and won the Wilma Rudolph student-athlete award. She left Iowa with school records in ten events.

In her final collegiate race (the NCAA Championships, 10,000 meters), a major side stitch forced Nukuri into an early exit with only a few laps remaining while in second place. She graduated from Iowa with a bachelor's degree in communications in the fall of 2008.

Professional career

She competed in her first professional race at the 2008 Shelter Island 10K. Major race performances are below.

Nukuri first competed in the Olympics at the age of 15, running the 5,000 meters at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. She finished 14th in her heat but did not advance to the finals. She returned to the Olympics twelve years later, competing in the women's marathon. She finished in 31st place, setting another Burundian National Record (she owned the previous mark in the marathon) in 2:30:13.Diane Nukuri. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2012-07-29. 118 runners started the race, and 107 finished. Nukuri was also the flag-bearer for Burundi, leading the country's six athletes at the opening ceremony.Diane Nukuri . London2012. Retrieved on 2012-07-29. Nukuri also carried the flag in Sydney.

She bettered her national record at the NYC Half Marathon in March 2013, narrowly finishing second to Caroline Rotich in a time of 1:09:12 hours.Battaglia, Joe (2013-03-17). Wilson Kipsang gives high octane performance at chilly NYC Half. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-03-23.

Nukuri is currently the Burundian record-holder in the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters, half marathon, and the marathon. She continues training under Coach Anderson.

Her story has been documented in a number of articles, including Running Times in October 2012.

Diane Nukuri represented Burundi once again at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August 2016, running the 10,000 meters.

She became a U.S. citizen in 2017. She holds dual citizenship from both Burundi and the United States. She became eligible to compete internationally for the United States in February 2020.Transfers of allegiance - Decisions of the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel in 2020 (as of 8 May 2020). World Athletics (2020-05-08). Retrieved 2020-05-30.

International competitions 1999All-Africa GamesJohannesburg, South Africa10th5000 m17:04.752000World Cross Country ChampionshipsVilamoura, Portugal18thJunior race21:42Olympic GamesSydney, Australia14th (h)5000 m16:38.302001World Cross Country ChampionshipsOstend, Belgium27thJunior race23:37Francophonie GamesOttawa, Canada3rd10,000 m34:30.662012Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom31stMarathon2:30:13 2013Francophonie GamesNice, France1st10,000 m32:29.142016Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil13th10,000 m31:28.69

Circuit results Marathons Year Race Time Place 2017 New York City Marathon 2:31:21 9th 2017 Boston Marathon 2:32:24 9th 2014 Montreal Marathon 1:13:07 1st 2013 New York City Marathon 2:30:09 10th 2013 Boston Marathon 2:29:54 8th 2011 New York City Marathon 2:41:21 20th 2011 Los Angeles Marathon 2:33:47 4th 2010 Chicago Marathon 2:39:09 23rd

Other distances Year Race Time Place 2018 Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon 1:15:20 15th 2018 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12 km 41:32 11th 2018 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler 53:56 5th 2017 Beach to Beacon 10 km 32:10 5th 2017 Steamboat Classic 4 Mile 20:49 1st 2017 New York Half Marathon 1:09:13 3rd 2017 Houston Half Marathon 1:11:42 10th 2016 Steamboat Classic 4 Mile 20:29 1st 2016 New York Mini 10K 32:18 3rd 2016 Great Manchester Run 10K 31:49 3rd 2016 UAE Healthy Kidney 10K 32:23 4th 2016 Payton Jordan Invitational 10,000m 31:57.99 16th 2016 Boston Athletic Association 5K 15:43 4th 2016 Carlsbad 5000 15:34 4th 2016 New York City Half Marathon 1:09:41 3rd 2016 World's Best 10K 32:45 9th 2016 Marugame Half Marathon 1:09:23 2nd 2016 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona 10K 32:11 1st 2015 Falmouth Road Race 36:47 1st 2014 Bay to Breakers 12K 40:15 1st 2013 Bay to Breakers 12K 40:12 1st 2013 New York City Half Marathon 1:09:12 2nd 2012 Alliant Energy 8K 25:50 1st 2012 Steamboat Classic 4 Mile 20:28 2nd 2012 New York Mini 10K 32:38 4th 2012 Dam tot Damloop 20K 1:07:52 CR 1st 2012 Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K 40:01 5th 2012 Payton Jordan Invitational 10,000m 32:45.96 20th 2012 BAA 5K 15:41 5th 2012 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K 26:11 3rd 2012 New York City Half Marathon 1:10:55 NR 11th 2011 Philadelphia Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon 1:12:08 6th 2011 Falmouth Road Race 7 Mile 37:13 2nd 2011 Beach to Beacon 10K 32:36.7 NR 4th 2011 Bix 7 37:59 3rd 2011 Fifth Season 8K, Cedar Rapids 26:07 NR 1st 2011 Steamboat Classic 4 Mile 20:41 NR 1st 2011 New York Mini 10K 33:28 12th 2011 Freihofer's Run for Women 5K 15:57 NR 6th 2011 Marion Arts Festival 5K 16:07 1st 2010 Philadelphia Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon 74:20 12th 2010 Steamboat Classic 4 Mile 21:26 7th 2010 Drake Relays 8K 27:10 1st 2010 Carlsbad 5000 16:23 7th 2010 Meyo Indoor Meet 3000m 9:22.48 5th 2010 New Orleans Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon 1:14:25 6th 2009 Manchester Road Race 4.75 Miles 26:05 7th 2009 Fifth Season 8K, Cedar Rapids 26:42 2nd 2008 Manchester Road Race 4.75 Miles 25:17 3rd 2008 Outdoor Big 10 Championships 5000m 16:24.21 1st 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships 5000 m 16:35.05 12th 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships 20:07 4th 2007 Big 10 Championships Cross Country 6K 19:37 1st 2007 NCAA Women's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships 10,000m 33:30.29 7th . Boulder Wave. Retrieved on 2012-10-04.

See also Burundi at the 2000 Summer Olympics National records in the marathon 2000 Summer Olympics national flag bearers 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony flag bearers Burundi at the 2016 Summer Olympics

References

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