Abebe Bikila: the superstar revealed by a twist of fate

Abebe Bikila was born on August 7, 1932 in Jato in Ethiopia 🇪🇹. His father, a shepherd, died before his birth, so he was raised by his grandfather and joined the emperor's imperial guard in 1957 under Haile Selassie 🤴. The future champion later became the imperial guard's sports coach. In addition, he was noticed for his good level in athletics and pursued several sports like tennis 🎾 and basketball 🏀. 

The birth of a rising star ⭐️

Starting in 1959, his name spread beyond Ethiopian borders 🌍. People heard that a certain Abebe Bikila had finished a marathon in 2h21' and 23" 😯. Initially, nothing predestined him for the Olympics. But thanks to a twist of fate, the athlete was selected for the marathon at the 1960 Rome Olympics 🏛️. Indeed, he had to replace his compatriot Wami Biratu, who was injured, at the last minute. And here's where the story gets crazy: during his pre-race medical check, the Ethiopian's feet were surprising. They had a thick callus preventing him from comfortably wearing shoes 👟. In fact, Abebe Bikila was used to running barefoot🦶. Finding no shoes that fit him in Rome, he decided to race without shoes! ❌ This performance became historic: on September 10, 1960, Abebe Bikila won the marathon event, barefoot, in 2h15 👏. Modestly, he said: "In the Imperial Guard, there are many other runners who could have won in my place". His title made him the first Black African athlete to win an Olympic gold medal 🏅.

Bikila won a second gold medal four years later, at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo 2️⃣. Wearing Asics sneakers, he completed his marathon, breaking his own world record in 2h12 🚀. Still in a form that commanded respect, the athlete had just recovered from an appendicitis. Considered one of the greatest athletes in history, the former soldier competed in 13 marathons and won 12 of them. The only "failure" of his career was the Boston Marathon in 1963, where he finished 5th 👀. 

Bikila's last challenge 🦾

We would prefer a happy ending, but fate decided otherwise 😢. The athlete lost the use of his legs in 1969 in a car accident 🚗. Condemned to a wheelchair for life, he took up archery and table tennis 🏓. In 1971, he even won a cross-country sled event for disabled athletes 🧑‍🦽. One might think such a prodigy would be immortal. However, the Ethiopian passed away from his accident-related injuries at the age of 41 in 1973 🕊️.