Patrick Nduwimana (Burundi) 800m
First name Jean-Patrick Name Nduwimana Birthdate 9/3/1978 Country Burundi Place of residence Tucson, Arizona Club None Coach Luiz de Oliveira Height 1,80m (5ft 10 1/2) Weight 63kg Event 800m Best time 1'44"06 (2000) Best rankings NCAA: outdoor champ 2000                                  indoor champion 2001 Semi-finalist in Sydney OG 3rd on IAAF indoor Top Lists in 2001	Unplugged Family status Single Occupation Student in business management Languages spoken English, French, Kirundi, Swahili, Kinyarwanda What would you do if you weren't an athlete Studies What will you do after your career? I plan to get a master degree in econometrics after Athens OG and be a business consultant. How do you see yourself in ten years of time ? I will stay involved in the sport whether running or not, because I want to give back to the community and help young kids. And I'll be doing what I went to school for. What do you think you are gifted for, outside athletics ? I think I've got academic abilities, and I get along with other people easily. What are your hobbies and other centres of interest ? Music, financial news, sports I like being with friends I don't like people who brag about themselves Qualities Other people know better than me. Flaws Only God should judge me. You can't live without sleeping and/or eating. Do you use internet ? Yes Which sites do you most often visit ? Sports, Burundian news, IAAF, and sites related to my academic work
DISCUSSION I- Your beginnings When did you start athletics and how did you choose 800m ? I had my first contact with athletics in ninth grade (1992) in physical education classes. We ran a road race in Rutana. My teacher discovered that I could run and I started on 400m. In 1996, I ran a 800m in Bujumbura and realised I had more abilities on this event. How did you progress ? In 1994 we didn't prepare for anything as there were no competition because of the war. In 1995 I was qualified for the All-African Games but I got there too late. I ran my first race on 800m in 1'49 and then 1'47"68 two weeks later. I took the fourth place of the African championships. This was my last competition in Africa. The same year I reached the semi-final of the world junior championships. I got a stress fracture in 1997. In 1998 I managed 1'46"31 and in 1999 1'46"03. Are other members of your family involved in athletics ? No my family is not involved but supports me. But one important thing, they didn't want that I neglect my education. As I was getting successful, they were proud of me. At the beginning they didn't see the scope this was developing into, but know they see. II- Place of birth, place of residence How did you arrive in the US ? I was invited in the training center sponsored by the Olympic Solidarity in La Grange (Georgia) to prepare for the world junior championships in 1996. When I got there, I took the tests to qualify for university and started going to school. I managed to get a scholarship to run for the university of Arizona. What do you like the most in this country ? - I like life opportunities, and I enjoy the freedom What don't you like in the country ? - Because they have a different culture from mine I have a hard time to adapt to the new culture. Do you often go back to Burundi ? No, not so often because I'm too busy but I stay in touch with my family. Which is your status in Burundi ? In Burundi I'm a regular citizen. My name is popular, but people don't know me much because I'm not often there. Where will you live once your career is over ? Anywhere where I feel comfortable, but Burundi will always be my home. Do you regularly follow the news from your country ? Yes What do you think of Burundian athletics ? It hasn't been so advanced but we have a lot of young talents who need to be followed. There are very few successful elite athletes. We are proud to run for our country and happy to help each other in anything, and help our young brothers and sisters to reach this level where we are today. That is the way to say thank you and to give back to our country. III- Travelling An athlete has to travel a lot. Do you like it or do you find it tiresome ? I like it. Do you have time to visit the places where you compete? Sometimes, but we don't stay long enough to be involved in social activities or to visit the places where we compete. Which places did you like the most ? Sydney, Monaco, Rio de Janeiro IV- Your feelings about athletics What do you think of the circle of high-level athletics and the evolution of the sport ? Athletics is one of the hardest sports. High level athletes and organisers do not get the recognition they deserve in regard to all their efforts, to how much they put in sports. Who are your best friends in athletics ? Mostly people who run my event. They are my rivals when we get on the start line but are my friends everywhere else. My team mates and my coach because he's the person I tell how I feel most of the time. Do you regularly follow the sports news ? If so, which are your sources of information (newspapers, magazines, internet) ? Athletix.net, iaaf.org V- Money Is it easy with your level (10th have an income) to make a living from athletics? . No, because I haven't lived my life as a professional athlete so I don't know what it is. Being 10th for 2000, I didn't get enough to make a living. It's getting tougher to get a living, we needs more funds. Basically I don't have an income. My university pays for the living expenses. VI- Training Who's already coached you? Fabien alias Gisahara (1992-1993), Adolphe Rukenkanya (1995-1996), Abdi Bile assisted by Kwizera Dieudonné (1997), Fred Harvey (1998-2000) Who's your current coach ? How did you meet him ? Luiz de Oliveira. I met him fot the first time in 1998 in Italy and again in 1999 in Seville during the world championships. We started talking about working together. How is your relationship coach-athlete ? Is he present during the sessions or does he send you plans by fax ? He sends me faxes and I call him on a regular basis. It's difficult to work like this but we don't have choice because I have to go to school at University of Arizona and he's living in South Carolina. But the fact that we talk almost everyday makes it possible, because I let him know how I feel about the workouts and he decides whether we are doing the right think or not. In the future when I finish school I'd like to stay close to him because a coach isn't someone who gives you only running programmes but someone who has to be there to advise you in regular life. He plays the role of mental. Can you describe your training ? I do combine speed and endurance. Early in the season I lift weights three times a week then two and in competition time just for maintenance. I do long runs at least three times a week, track workouts two to four times a week. I take one day off per week for God. Do you often go to training camp ? Where ? No, I'm too busy for training camps. Conciliating studies and training. What is like being a student and an athlete at the same time? It is very challenging to be excellent in both. The first two years have also been very challenging because of the language barrier. You have to work hard and be very disciplined. You have to be organised and to be able to work under difficult conditions, which is good, in a sense: it prepares you to challenges in later life. For that matter, I have to be good in both. At the beginning, running supported my education (I wouldn't have had another chance to get a scholarship). Now it's good I have a back-up, I've something to do in case one of them doesn't work very well. VII- Your career What is your best memory of your career ? Winning the NCAA 2000 And the worst ? Losing the semi-final in Olympics. Do you have a favourite meeting ? Zurich is the best Have you often been injured ? Every year. What did your best ranking bring you ? Honor and satisfaction and confidence. What do you think of your career up to now ? Are you happy or if not why ? I'm quite happy. I guess I've been successful and it's just the beginning. To reach the top, I'll just keep to do what I've been doing and put more time into it. At which point of your career are you ? Until when do you expect to run ? One third of my career. It is still a point of growing. I'm reaching the maturity. Hopefully I'll stay there for long and when time to step down comes, I'll be happy with my accomplishments. What are your goals for 2001 ? Get a medal in Edmonton and be ranked in top five of the world.