THE BOWLS / DAILY REPORT : HOLIDAY : Game Came Naturally to Biakabatuka
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His name is Tshimanga Biakabatuka, but his North American friends call him Tim.
Michigan’s sophomore running back, who plays behind Tyrone Wheatley, has taken an unusual route to major college football. Biakabatuka was born in Zaire and as a child moved with his family to Montreal. He should have played soccer. Or ice hockey.
“I never chose football,” Biakabatuka said as Michigan prepared for its game Friday against Colorado State at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. “Football came to me and I fell in love with it.”
That was six years ago during a physical education class in high school. A coach, looking for an extra body for his team, called upon the African immigrant. It did not take Biakabatuka long to excel.
“Football is a sport easy to learn,” he said. “After three years I was pretty comfortable with the rules.”
Now Biakabatuka is one of three finalists for Quebec’s 1994 athlete of the year after a strong season filling in for the oft-injured Wheatley.
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