~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abebe Bikila was a well-known Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia who participated in 15 marathons, winning 12 of them.
He was born in a small town called ‘Jato’ near Abichu and Gne’a Woreda of the Oromia regional state.
Bikila was a son of a farmer but his successes made him one of the greatest marathoners in the world.
He is also the first man to win Olympics marathon twice and the first black African man to win an Olympics medal.
•
The Ethiopian athlete’s name entered Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest marathon run in bare feet.
He also participated in International Paraplegic Games in Norway as a paraplegic after facing a car accident. The story of his life was a source of inspiration for many people and many Ethiopians to date.
••••

A barefooted Bikila won the Olympic marathon in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 16.2 seconds, making him set a world record.
•
In 1964, he participated in the Japan Olympics, even though he had not recovered from his appendicitis surgery, and won his 2nd Gold medal for his country, setting a world record as the first man to win double-Olympics marathon back-to-back.
•
After his car accident in 1969, Bikila became quadriplegic but his love for sports did not falter.
•
As a paraplegic athlete, he competed in the International Paraplegic Games in Norway and many other such events.
•
He participated in fifteen marathons in his lifetime including the Olympics and Ethiopian marathons.
•••
Abebe Bikila passed away on October 25, 1973, owing to complications of the 1969 car accident that had also caused a parallel cerebral hemorrhage.