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Abebe Bikila

🏃 Running · Marathon

Abebe Bikila

Ethiopia · 1956–1968

Won the Olympic marathon barefoot, then won it again in shoes.

2
Olympic golds
Barefoot, world best
Rome result
4 min 8 s
Tokyo margin
6
Weeks post-surgery

Career

Bikila's shoes did not fit on the eve of the 1960 Rome marathon, so he ran without them and won in a world best time. Four years later he defended the title in Tokyo, six weeks after an appendectomy, and became the first person to win two Olympic marathons.

Honours

  • Olympic marathon champion in 1960 and 1964
  • First Black African to win an Olympic gold medal
  • Ran the 1960 Olympic marathon barefoot and set a world best
  • First athlete to successfully defend an Olympic marathon title

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