Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila (August 7, 1932 - October 25, 1973) was a two times Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia.
A police officer and personal bodyguard for emperor Haile Selassie, Abebe Bikila, born in Mout, Ethiopia, became a national hero after winning the Olympic gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics. At the Games held in Rome, Bikila ran the entire distance of the marathon without shoes. Also of note, during the marathon, Bikila passed the Obelisk of Axum which was taken from Ethiopia during their war with Italy in the 1930s.
Bikila was in a weakened condition four years later at the 1964 Summer Olympics at Tokyo. He had his appendix removed six weeks before the race and missed time training for the event. This time, running with shoes, the result was the same. Bikila became the first back to back Olympic champion in the marathon. Again, he set a world best time.
The 1968 Summer Olympic Games were held in Mexico City. Bikila was affected by both the high altitude, injury, and age. He was forced to withdraw from the race before the finish.
In 1969, Bikila was driving near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when he crashed. He was left paralyzed from the waste down. He never regained his full health and died as a result from the injuries in Addis Ababa at the young age of 41. The national stadium in Addis Ababa was named in his honor.
