NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Abebe Bikila

Abebe Bikila (August 7, 1932 - October 25, 1973) was an Ethiopian runner and two time Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia. Subject: The Olympic Rings. ... The Games of the XVII Olympiad were held in 1960 in Rome, Italy. ... The Games of the XVIII Olympiad were held in 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 67 days remaining. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1973 calendar). ... Modern day marathon runners The word marathon refers to a long-distance road running event of 42. ...

A member of Emperor Haile Selassie's Imperial Guard, Abebe Bikila, born in Mout, Ethiopia, became a national hero after winning the Olympic gold medal in the marathon at the 1960 Summer Olympics. At the Games held in Rome, Bikila ran the entire length of the marathon barefoot, setting a world record of 2 h 15 min 16.2 s. During the marathon, Bikila passed the Obelisk of Axum, which had been looted from Ethiopia after the Second Italo-Abyssinian War. Haile Selassie Haile Selassie (Power of Trinity) (July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was the last Emperor (1930–1936; 1941–1974) of Ethiopia, and is a religious symbol in the Rastafarian movement. ... The Games of the XVII Olympiad were held in 1960 in Rome, Italy. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus â€“ SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area - City Proper 1285 kmÂ² Population - City (2004) - Metropolitan - Density (city proper) 2,553,873 almost 4,300,000 1. ... Walking in bare feet Going barefoot is the practice of walking without shoes or socks. ... The Obelisk of Axum is a 1700-year-old, 24-metre (78-foot) tall granite obelisk, weighing over 100 tonnes, carved in or around the 4th century AD by the Axumite Kingdom, an ancient Ethiopian culture. ... Combatants Italy Ethiopia Commanders Strength 800,000 (only ~330,000 mobilized) 100,000 (some ill-equipped) Casualties 15,000 16,000 {{{notes}}} The Second Italo-Abyssinian War, also called the Rape of Ethiopia, lasted seven months in 1935-1936. ...

At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo Bikila was in a weakened condition. He had his appendix removed six weeks before the race, which forced him to curtail his training for the marathon. Nevertheless, Bikila, this time wearing running shoes, repeated as Olympic marathon champion, again setting a world record (2 h 12 min 11.2 s). He impressed the crowd in the Olympic Stadium by performing jumping jacks and other exersizes immediately after his victory, as the other runners crossed the finish line and collapsed. The Games of the XVIII Olympiad were held in 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. ... Headquarters of Tokyo Metropolitan Government (City Hall) View of Tokyos Shibuya district Tokyo ) (helpÂ· info), literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized downtown area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ... Grays Fig. ...

At the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City, Bikila was affected by the high altitude, injury, and age, and withdrew from the marathon race after 17 kilometers. He did however witness his fellow countryman, Mamo Wolde win the race. The Games of the XIX Olympiad were held in Mexico City in 1968. ... Mexico City (Spanish: Ciudad de MÃ©xico) is the name of a megacity located in the Valley of Mexico (Valle de MÃ©xico), a large valley in the high plateaus (altiplano) in the South of Mexico, about 2,240 meters (7,349 feet) above sea-level, surrounded on most sides... Demisse Mamo Wolde (June 12, 1932-May 26, 2002) was an Ethiopian runner born in Diri Jille. ...

In 1969, Bikila was involved in a car accident near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He never regained his full health and died in Addis Ababa at the age of 41 from further complications of his accident. 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday For other uses, see Number 1969. ... Addis Ababa (Amharic new flower) is the capital of Ethiopia. ...

Categories: 1932 births | 1973 deaths | Ethiopian athletes | Long-distance runners | Athletes at the 1960 Summer Olympics | Athletes at the 1964 Summer Olympics | Athletes at the 1968 Summer Olympics | Barefooters These are the male Olympic medalists in athletics. ... Spiridon Spiros Louis (January 12, 1873 – March 26, 1940) was a Greek water-carrier who won the marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics, thereby becoming a national hero. ... Michel Johann ThÃ©ato (March 22, 1878-1919) was Luxembourg athlete, winner of the marathon at the 1900 Olympics in Paris. ... Thomas J. Hicks (January 7, 1875 – December 2, 1963) was an American track and field athlete, winner of the Olympic marathon in 1904. ... William D. Billy Sherring (September 18, 1878 - September 5, 1964) was a Canadian athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1906 Summer Olympics. ... John Joseph Johnny Hayes (April 10, 1886 - August 25, 1965) was an American athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1908 Summer Olympics. ... Kennedy Kane Kenneth McArthur (February 10, 1881 - June 13, 1960) was a South African athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1912 Summer Olympics. ... Hannes Kolehmainen Johannes Petteri Hannes Kolehmainen (December 9, 1889 â€“ January 11, 1966) was a Finnish long-distance runner. ... Oskar Albinus Albin Stenroos (February 25, 1889 - April 30, 1971) was a Finnish athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1924 Summer Olympics. ... Boughera El Ouafi (October 15, 1898-October 18, 1959) was an Algerian athlete. ... Juan Carlos Zabala (October 11, 1911 - January 24, 1983) was an Argentine athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1932 Summer Olympics. ... Sohn Kee-chung (August 29, 1912 - November 15, 2002) became the first medal-winning Korean Olympian, together with his teammate Nam Sung-yong when he won the 1936 Berlin Olympics Marathon as a member of the Japanese delegation. ... Delfo Cabrera (April 2, 1919 - August 2, 1981) was an Argentine athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1948 Summer Olympics in one of the most dramatic finishes in athletics history. ... Emil ZÃ¡topek listen? (September 19, 1922 - November 22, 2000) was a Czech athlete and Olympic gold medalist in long distance running. ... Alain Mimoun OKacha (born January 1, 1921) is an Olympic marathon champion from Algeria. ... Demisse Mamo Wolde (June 12, 1932-May 26, 2002) was an Ethiopian runner born in Diri Jille. ... Frank Shorter (born October 31, 1947) is a former American athlete and winner of the marathon race at the 1972 Summer Olympics. ... Waldemar Cierpinski (born August 3, 1950) is a former East German athlete and two time Olympic Champion in the marathon. ... Carlos Lopes (born February 18, Portuguese athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1984 Summer Olympics. ... Gelindo Bordin (April 2, 1959) is a former Italian athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1988 Summer Olympics. ... Hwang Young-Cho (born March 22, 1970) is a former South Korean athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1992 Summer Olympics. ... Josia Thugwane (born April 15, 1971) is a South African athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 1996 Summer Olympics. ... Gezahegne Abera (born April 23, 1978) is an Ethiopian athlete, winner of the marathon race at the 2000 Summer Olympics. ... Stefano Baldini breaking the winning tape in the mens marathon event at the 2004 Summer Olympics. ...