Abebe Bikila (August 7th 1932 - October 25th 1973) is a runner Ethiopia N, twice victorious of the marathon to the Olympic Games.

The revelation of a champion except standards

Born in Jato, a village of shepherds, it engaged in the imperial guard of Haile Selassie to provide for the needs for its family.

It is only involved during two years before being located in 1959 by the Ethiopian authorities of athletics and Onni Niskanen, Swede of Finnish origin, member of the Croix-Rouge and impassioned athletics. Bikila then becomes monitor of ophysic education of the imperial guard and follows a drive more framed under control of Niskanen. Niskanen also makes him practice the Tennis and the Basket-ball to work its coordination. Since 1959, its reputation crosses the borders of Ethiopia. It would have covered the marathon in 2:21 mn 23 S, but some reflect in doubt this performance except standards.

It was quite naturally selected to take part in the Olympic Games of Rome in the test of the marathon.

At the time of the passage of the medical visit of before race, the feet of Bikila were the object of many interrogations. It always involved barefeet, also, it had developed a thick horn. At the time of its drives, it had already tried to put shoes, but its performances were then less good. It tried well to find shoes in Rome, but none was appropriate. It developed even bulbs.

Into night, it gains the race barefeet in 2:15 mn 16 S (world records) in front of the Moroccan favorite, Abdesselem Ben Rhadi, which was definitively taken down with the 41e kilometer. Rhadi finishes at 25 seconds of Bikila. Just after the race, he refused to sit down and drink and pushed back even the cover that one tended to him to protect oneself from the cold. Niskanen nevertheless obliged it to drink glass of Coca-Cola. Modeste, it declares then: “In the imperial Guard, there are many of other runners which could have gained in my place”.

This victory devoted it as national hero. South Africa had certainly already gained Olympic titles, but they were always white athletes. Its arrival with the Arc of Constantin was also a political symbol, a quarter century after the invasion of Ethiopia by Italy. It receives a car and an apartment for its victory.

Implied almost in spite of him in a Coup d'etat missed against the emperor right after the Plays, it was pardoned. It was devoted then to its sport, gaining three marathons and by losing that of Boston in 1963. It finishes even fifth in Boston. It will be the only failure of its career of 13 marathons where it crosses the finishing line.

A second historical title

Bikila changed much between 1960 and 1964. It carries from now on shoes of a famous mark which remunerates it more or less discreetly. It makes moreover attention to its behavior and had even become a little vain.

Forty days before the Olympic Games of Tokyo, during a drive, Abebe felt a pain with the belly which it tried to surmount, until its hospitalization where a acute Appendicite was diagnosed. It is operated on September 16th, 1964, that is to say 35 days before the Olympic marathon. The secrecy of this hospitalization is preserved, and this fact will be revealed only after the race.

It crushed any competition, finishing in 2:12 mn 11 S, new world records, that is to say more than four minutes before the second. Hardly the crossed line, it started a meeting of stretchings which surprised the public, so much it did not appear not tired. In fact, he sought to demolish beginnings of cramps.

In Japan, it receives in gift of Hailé Sélassié a gold ring decorated with a very large diamond for its exploit. This ring disappears mysteriously the very same day. The press and the police force Japanese women carry out surveys without continuation then. Three days later, it is learned that the cleaning lady found the famous ring… in the cloakroom of Bikila, which found the smile then.

Of return in Ethiopia, he lengthily was celebrated and walked of palate in palate.

End of a career

The July 30th 1967, it fractures the fibula at the time of its 14th marathon and is constrained for the first time at the abandonment. After a treatment in Germany, its wound always obstructs it at the time to align itself at the beginning of the Olympic marathon of OJ of Mexico City in 1968. It gives up logically after 17 km of race. It was its last marathon.

Its completed career, it is victim of a serious car accident on the road connecting Addis-Abeba to Dessié the March 22nd 1969. There remains prisoner of the carcass of his ladybird all the night. In the small hour, a shepherd discovers and calls it the helps. The broken nape of the neck, Bikila is transported urgently to London on the personal aircraft of the emperor Hailé Sélassié. He fights then for eight month against death. He loses the use of his legs but survives the accident. He puts himself then at the race in armchair and the shooting with the arc.

He receives an ovation full with emotion of the public of the Olympic stadium of Munich at the time of the OJ of 1972 when he is only one simple spectator.

He dies in 1973 of a brain hemorrhage, a complication of his accident, at the 41 years age. 65.000 people attended its funerals.

The national stage of Addis-Abeba bears its name.

Random links:

Brion (Vienna) | Antoine-François Momoro | Tom Webster | Grand Prix motor bike of Spain | County of Suixi (Guangdong)