# Burundi at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Burundi competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's sixth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics.
The Burundi Olympic Committee (French: Comité National Olympique du Burundi) sent the nation's largest delegation to the Games. Nine athletes, five men and four women, were selected to the Burundian team across three different sports, with nearly half of them having previously competed at London 2012. Among the Burundian athletes on the team were world indoor champion Francine Niyonsaba, second-place finalist in the women's 800 metres, marathoner Diane Nukuri, and long-distance runner Olivier Irabaruta, who became the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony.
Burundi left Rio de Janeiro with its first Olympic medal since the nation's debut in 1996. It was awarded to Niyonsaba, who rebounded from an out-of-podium feat back in London to end Burundi's 20-year drought with a silver in her pet event.

## Medalists

| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
| Silver | Francine Niyonsaba | Athletics | Women's 800 metres | 20 August |

## Athletics (track and field)

Burundian athletes achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event):

### Key

* Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
* Q = Qualified for the next round
* q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
* NR = National record
* N/A = Round not applicable for the event
* Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

### Track & road events

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Antoine Gakeme | Men's 800 m | 1:47.46 | 6 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Olivier Irabaruta | Men's 5,000 m | 13:44.08 | 17 | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Olivier Irabaruta | Men's 10,000 m | — | — | — | — | 28:32.75 | 27 |
| Pierre-Célestin Nihorimbere | Men's marathon | — | — | — | — | 2:29:38 | 115 |
| Abraham Niyonkuru | Men's marathon | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF |
| Francine Niyonsaba | Women's 800 m | 1:59.84 | 1 Q | 1:59.59 | 2 Q | 1:56.49 | |
| Diane Nukuri | Women's 10,000 m | — | — | — | — | 31:28.69 NR | 13 |

## Judo

Burundi received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send a judoka competing in the women's half-lightweight category (52 kg) to the Olympics.
| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Antoinette Gasongo | Women's −52 kg | Ramos (POR) L 000–102 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Swimming

Burundi received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics.
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Billy-Scott Irakose | Men's 50 m freestyle | 26.36 | 66 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Elsie Uwamahoro | Women's 50 m freestyle | 33.70 | 80 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |