Bikila marathon rome 1960 book

He was the first athlete to win two olympic marathons. Rome 1960, innsbruck 1964 the olympic century book 15 english edition ebook. Niskanen entered abebe bikila and abebe wakgira in the marathon at the 1960 rome olympics, which would be run on. He won the marathon running barefoot in rome in 1960 and won again wearing shoes in tokyo in 1964, becoming the first person to win the most gruelling of all human contests twice. In 1960 he became the first black african to win a gold medal at the olympics, running barefoot in the marathon in rome. The 2010 mens winner, siraj gena, earned a 5000 bonus for crossing the finish line barefoot in honour of abebe bikila s style. Abebe bikila, born august 7, 1932, mont, ethiopiadied october 25, 1973, addis ababa, ethiopian marathon runner who won a gold medal and set a world record while running barefoot at the 1960 olympic games in rome, then bested his own record at the 1964 olympics in tokyo. But i cant resist retelling a part of his story that has to do with rome. The 50th anniversary of bikila s barefoot performance was made that much more special when another ethiopian, siraj gena, placed first at the 2010 rome marathon. The same games that announced the greatness of icons like cassius clay, wilma rudolph, and rafer johnson, also exposed. Born into bitter poverty in rural ethiopia in 1932, at sixteen bikila joined the imperial guard of the emperor haile selassie. Wrote david maraniss in his book rome 1960, as the first black african to win a.

Abebe bikila, barefoot marathon champion sports history. Abebe bikila was the first black african to win an olympic gold medal. Bikila leads rhadi ben abdesselam of morocco in the 1960 rome. Abebe bikila won the 1960 olympic rome marathon and the 1964 olympic tokyo marathon. Highlights of the action from the marathon event at the rome 1960 olympic games. The son of a shepherd, bikila began running at age 24. He was the first black african to win a gold medal at the olympics and overnight became a sporting hero, an african hero, and, for many, the first black african they had ever heard of. Book the glory trail the guardian it was the rome olympics of 1960 and. He is the first subsaharan african olympic gold medallist.

Armed with the same engaging narrative found in clemente and when pride still mattered, pulitzer prizewinning author david maraniss chronicles the triumphs, tragedies, and treacheries of the olympics that changed the world with rome 1960. Hall of fame profile abebe bikila ethiopia news world athletics. Ethiopian abebe bikila became the first east african to win an olympian medal after finishing first in the mens marathon at rome 1960 despite. Wilt had studied the great runners for his seminal book how they train. Abebe bikilas marathon victory at the 1960 olympic games was the. Abebe bikila winning gold in the marathon in rome in 1960. He won the first gold medal at the 1960 summer olympics in rome while running barefoot. Most of our readers wont have heard of abebe bikila, the marathon runner from ethiopia at left, in front, wearing a green top and reds shorts. In honor and memory of his countrys hero, gena removed his shoes in the last 300m of the race and cleared the finish line in 2. It was the rome olympics of 1960 and an unknown produced the.

Abebe bikila wins marathon barefooted epic olympic moments. On september 10, 1960, abebe bikila, an ethiopian, stunned the world when he won the rome olympic marathon running barefoot. The first of the great african longdistance runners. His triumph in rome became a beacon for the generations of african. He won the marathon running barefoot in rome in 1960 and won again. He was the first african to win an olympic gold medal, and his underdog status was unmissable. Bikila beat wami biratu, until then ethiopias fastest marathon runner, in a. The 2010 race was held in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of abebe bikila s win at the 1960 rome olympic marathon race, a watershed moment in the development of east african competitive running.