In 1960, on a warm night in Rome, a barefoot shepherd’s son named Abebe Bikila amazed everyone and made history for Africa.
That night, people lined the streets, cheering for marathon runners in the Olympics. Italian soldiers held torches to light the way as Bikila, wearing red shorts and a black vest, ran towards the finish line.
Most of the race, Bikila ran next to Rhadi Ben Abdesselam from Morocco, the favorite to win. But with less than a mile left, Bikila pulled ahead, crossing the finish line first with his hands raised in triumph.
He became the first black African and the first Ethiopian to win a gold medal at the Olympics, setting a new world record of two hours, 15 minutes, and 16 seconds.
This was even more shocking because he ran the entire race barefoot since his shoes were worn out, and he didn’t want new ones to give him blisters.
Bikila returned home as a national hero, welcomed by thousands. His victory had a huge significance beyond Ethiopia.
This was during the period when African countries were gaining independence. Bikila’s win symbolized hope and a new era for Africa.
When he got back, Emperor Haile Selassie awarded him the Star of Ethiopia, promoted him to corporal, and gave him a house and a Volkswagen Beetle.
Bikila was born in 1932 in a small village in Ethiopia, the son of a shepherd. He later moved to Addis Ababa and joined the Imperial Guard, where his athletic talent was noticed by Swedish coach Onni Niskanen.
Niskanen trained him for the marathon, but Bikila wasn’t even considered the best runner in his team until his teammate fell ill just before the Rome Games.
Bikila’s legacy grew when he won another gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, making him the first person to win back-to-back golds in the marathon. He did this just 40 days after having his appendix removed, setting another world record.
Bikila won 12 out of 13 international marathons between 1960 and 1966. Tragically, in 1969, he was paralyzed in a car accident.
He turned to other sports like archery and table tennis, even winning a sleigh-riding event for disabled athletes in Norway.
Bikila died in 1973 at age 41 from complications related to his accident. He was given a state funeral, and his legacy lives on in Ethiopia and beyond.
The Abebe Bikila stadium in Addis Ababa and many schools and awards bear his name. He inspired future generations of runners like Haile Gebrselassie and Eliud Kipchoge.
Gebrselassie said, “We [African runners] are the result of Abebe Bikila. Because of Abebe Bikila, I became a world-class athlete.” Getnet Wale, an Ethiopian runner, called Bikila a “trailblazer” who is always remembered.
Credit: BBC
https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/articles/cqv5qde4w52o