Abebe Bikila

Abebe Bikila, born Shambel Abebe Bikila and living from 7 August 1932 to 25 October 1973, was an Ethiopian marathon runner and a back to back Olympic marathon champion, the first Ethiopian to win an Olympic gold medal, which he did at the 1960 Rome Olympics while running barefoot; at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics he won a second gold medal, becoming the first athlete to successfully defend an Olympic marathon title, and he set a world record in both victories. Born in Shewa, he moved to Addis Ababa around 1952 and joined the Ethiopian Imperial Guard's 5th Infantry Regiment, later serving in the Kagnew Battalion during the Korean War, and he rose to the military rank of shambel, or captain, while continuing to compete. Over his career Abebe ran sixteen marathons, placing second in his debut race in Addis Ababa, winning twelve others, and finishing fifth at the 1963 Boston Marathon, before leg injuries sustained in July 1967 kept him from finishing his final two marathons; he is regarded as a pioneer of East African long distance running whose successors have included Mamo Wolde, Juma Ikangaa, Tegla Loroupe, Paul Tergat and Haile Gebrselassie. A car accident on 22 March 1969 left him paralyzed and unable to walk again, though he regained some upper body mobility and went on to compete in archery, table tennis and cross country sledge racing at international competitions for disabled athletes, winning the sledge racing event at a 1971 competition in Norway. He died in 1973 at age forty one of a cerebral hemorrhage related to the accident, and Emperor Haile Selassie declared a national day of mourning for his state funeral.