Olympic Moments: Abebe Bikila at the 1960 Games
August 8, 2008 by Sandy Mitchell
Filed under Sports Rumors
Ethiopian long-distance runner, Abebe Bikila was a late addition in the Olympic marathon event at the 1960 Games in Rome. His team-issued shoes were uncomfortable so he decided to run the 26-mile race barefoot–and he won it, making him the first East African to win an Olympic medal. Bikila went on to repeat as the Gold Medalist at the 1964 Games (this time with shoes). Below are the highlights of his 1960 run:
