From a child who suffered at the hands of her own mother to a teenage athlete sensation, Salome Nyirarukundo’s fairy tale is proving what talent there still is in this country.

The 19-year-old burst into the limelight last year when she won the Tanzania Rotary Half Marathon before going on to become the only Rwandan athlete to claim a podium finish in this year’s edition of Kigali International Peace Marathon.

She finished in second place in the half marathon behind Kenya’s Anges Jeruto.

Her achievements at such a tender age reflect the statement by Paula Jane Radcliffe, the English long-distance runner who holds the women’s world record in marathon – 2 hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds. The English athlete said: "It’s important that athletes can compete on a level playing field. And youngsters coming into the sport can know that if they are working hard and training hard, they’ll see a true reflection of where they stand and what they can achieve worldwide and not be swayed by people who are cheating.”

Saturday Sport’s Geoffrey Asiimwe recently caught up with our own Nyirarukundo and asked her about her journey so far and aspirations for the future.

Born on December 20, 1997 in Kivumu Sector of Rutsiro District, Western Province to Jean Damascene Tabaro (RIP) and Josephine Nyirahabimana, Nyirarukundo is the first born in the family of five – two boys and three girls.

She attended Buganamana Primary School and Ecole Primary Kivumu, both located in Rutsiro, for her primary education. She went on to join Ecole Secondaire Kivumu where she attended the first two years of her Ordinary Level and that’s where she was spotted and recruited by APR athletics clubs. She then moved to Kigali where she would later continue with her education.

While in Kigali the soft-spoken Nyirarukundo went to Groupe Scolaire Camp Kanombe from where she completed her Ordinary Level. She’s currently set to sit for her Advanced Level examinations later this year at College de Espoir. She’s offering Mathematics Economics and Computer (MEC).

"I can say I have not actually had a straight education journey, I have changed schools several times simply because I have had to juggle between my classes and sports,” she said.

Despite being an athlete, Nyirarukundo is a soccer fan and supports APR locally and the English Premier League side Chelsea. Her favourite player is APR’s central defender Abdul Rwatubyaye, she says.

She also says that she looks up to local athletic stars Claudette Mukasakindi and Epiphanie Nyirabarame.

"They are my role models in the sport so far because they managed to achieve big when the sport had not yet developed as is the case today, I wish to emulate their spirit and probably achieve more.”

Early days

The light-skinned and medium height athlete describes her childhood story as an "Unfortunate one” mainly because, despite having a mom, she never enjoyed parental care from the time her father passed away in 2002.

She says that since then her biological mother mistreated her and often harassed her, something she says she has failed to understand to date. 

"I loved my father so much and he loved me too, it’s unfortunate that he passed away when I was still young; my mom never treated me like my siblings and I was often harassed though I loved her so much too.”

"To some extent I lost hope for my future because I was never supported in anything I tried to do; however, as time went on, my mom changed and loved me too, today I support my family in everything,” she told Saturday Sport.

Narrating her athletic career story, the APR athletic club runner disclosed that, until today, she still gets surprised how she ended up in athletics because since childhood she loved playing football and dreamt of playing at a high level in that sport.

Asked about how she started running, she recalled a moment, in 2012, when she received information that Rubavu District was organising a competition and she decided to join, albeit for fun. Surprisingly, she recollects, she emerged the winner, marking a turning point in her life.

Playing career

Later, Nyirarukundo was selected to take part in the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) 25th anniversary race that was held in Kigali that year. She finished third behind Epiphanie Nyirabarame and Claudette Mukasakindi.

"After finishing third, I was rewarded Rwf80, 000, an amount of money I had never touched, and quietly said to myself that ‘this is the sport I am meant for’ and devoted myself to developing my talent.”

Soon after this event, she competed in an MTN half marathon and this time around finished second behind Nyirabarame to bag Rwf150, 000, which made her seal her decision to become an athlete.

"After that I received a lot of offers from different athletic clubs but I decided to join APR which had provided me with a lot of opportunities and I am grateful to my coach (rtd) Lt Innocent Rwabuhihi has been so supportive since I joined his club,” she noted.

Achievements

Since the time she joined APR, she has won 15 medals – 12 gold medals and three bronze medals, mostly in local competitions.

"I have not competed in many foreign competitions yet, however the few I have been engaged in so far I have come in top three.”

Last year, she landed her maiden foreign gold medal when she won the Tanzania Rotary Half Marathon in the women’s category (after running a distance of 21 kilometres in one hour and 11 minutes), and bagged about Tsh3 million (about Rwf1 million).

"It’s the competition up to now I still celebrate because I never imagined beating Kenyans and Ethiopians who are famous in this sport, that performance has taken my confidence to a whole new level.”

Nyirarukundo also went on to win the inaugural HeForShe half marathon setting a new personal best of 1:10:04 before finishing in second position (1:13:55) in the just-concluded Kigali International Peace Marathon and bagging Rwf700,000 for her podium finish.

Best and worst moments

"My worst moment so far as I said earlier is my childhood life that was full of mistreatment and harassment from my mother but I forgave her and now we are happy together, while my best moment is when I realised my talent. I thank God to have given me this talent and the ability to harness it, that I have never finished any race outside top five is a blessing from above.”

Future plans and ambitions

"My dream is to work harder and compete in the Olympic Games, I want to stand on the podium one day with a gold medal and hear my country’s national anthem sang.”

For now, her focus is on the forthcoming Africa Athletics Senior Championship slated for June 22 in Durban, South Africa, where she will be seeking a qualification to compete in this year’s Olympic Games set for August 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Appreciation

"My sincere appreciation goes to my coach Rwabuhihi who was the first to spot me, recruited me and is following me on a day-to-day basis to see me develop as a professional athlete. I also thank my fellow teammates at APR who are so supportive, they encourage and are cooperative, I have learnt a lot from them.”

How others describe her

APR head coach Rwabuhihi says of his runner: "I know her since childhood, she has been in my hands since she began her career and I am very proud of what she has become, she is very hardworking and determined, and I can assure everyone that she will compete in the 2020 Olympic Games.”

Anicet Kanyabugoyi, head coach national team, says: "She is a real talent and I am very confident that if she maintains her pace, we may win her country several international medals.”

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