Pamela Girimbabazi Rugabira, born January 10, 1985, is an Olympic swimmer from Rwanda

Rwanda

Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...

. She swam for Rwanda at the 2000

Rwanda at the 2000 Summer Olympics

-Athletics:Men's 1,500m* Alexis Sharangabo*# Round 1 — 03:44.06 Men's Marathon* Mathias Ntawurikura*# Final — 2:16:39 Women's 800m* Christine Mukamutesi*# Round 1 — 02:14.15...

, 2004

Rwanda at the 2004 Summer Olympics

-Athletics:Disi led the men's 10000 metres through the first two laps before falling back through the field as the pace increased. Both marathon runners finished well back, Ntawulikura 15 minutes and Nyirabarame 26 minutes behind.Men's 10000 metres:...

 and 2008 Olympics

Rwanda at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Rwanda competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. As of June 26, 2008, only four Rwandan representatives have qualified to compete in Beijing - two in athletics and two in swimming....

; and was the country's flagbearer in 2008.

During that time, she "never had a formal swim lesson or regular coach". She was disqualified during the Sydney Games

2000 Summer Olympics

The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...

 due to technical rules that she was unaware of, and subsequently taught herself the rules by consulting the Internet. Later, she also taught herself from a book about swimming belonging to fellow Rwandan swimmer Jackson Niyomugabo

Jackson Niyomugabo

Jackson Niyomugabo is a Rwandan Olympic swimmer. He is originally from Kibuye in Rwanda's western region. He grew up swimming in the waters of Lake Kivu on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo...

. She trained in a hotel pool 25 metres in length. Her personal best in the 50 metre freestyle prior to the Beijing Olympics was 35 seconds. She failed to improve on that time in Beijing, finishing third out of four in her heat, and 88th overall, with a time of 39:78.

Girimbabazi has been described as a "minor celebrity" and "an icon of pure sport spirit, an athlete who competes for the love of the game, not for the thrill of victory or the fame and riches that might follow".

Times at the Olympics

• Sydney 2000, 100 metre breaststroke
  Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metre breaststroke
  The women's 100 breaststroke at the 2000 Summer Olympics was held in Sydney, Australia, on 17 September and 18 September .-Final:-Semi finals:* Held on 17 September 2000-Qualification Heats: -References:...
  
   - DSQ
• Athens 2004, 100 metre breaststroke
  Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Women's 100 metre breaststroke
  The women's 100m breaststroke at the 2004 Summer Olympics was held August 15 & 16, 2004 .-Medalist:-Records:The World and Olympic Records at the start of the event were:-Heats:-Semifinals:...
  
   - 1:50.39 (48th)
• Beijing 2008, 50m freestyle - 39:78 (88th)

External links

• Biography on the official website of the Beijing Olympics