Abebe Bikila was a marathon runner from Ethiopia who was a late inclusion to the team for the 1960 Rome Olympics. As he was a late inclusion, there were not enough gear for him, so he ran the marathon barefoot. He won. He subsequently won the 1964 Tokyo Olympic marathon, this time wearing running shoes.
Abebe Bikila, an Ethiopian marathon runner, carved his name into Olympic history in the most unexpected way—by winning gold barefoot at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Born in 1932 in the rural village of Jato, Bikila grew up herding livestock in the highlands, unknowingly building the endurance and lung capacity that would later define his running career. He joined the Imperial Guard in Addis Ababa in his twenties, where his athletic talent was discovered. Despite being a last-minute addition to the Ethiopian Olympic team, Bikila seized the moment. With no suitable shoes available, he opted to run the marathon barefoot—a decision that would turn into a legendary story.
During the Rome marathon, Bikila kept a steady pace, conserving energy for the final stretch. As the race neared its end and competitors faltered, he surged ahead, passing Morocco’s Rhadi Ben Abdesselam to claim victory. He crossed the finish line under the shadow of the Arch of Constantine, setting a new world record of 2:15:16.2. The symbolic setting was powerful: an African man, running barefoot through the ancient streets of a former empire, claiming victory for a continent long underestimated in international sport. Bikila didn’t just win a race; he shattered stereotypes and marked Ethiopia’s entrance onto the global athletic stage.
Bikila’s legacy only grew in the years following. In 1964, he won his second Olympic marathon in Tokyo—this time wearing shoes and just weeks after undergoing an appendectomy—becoming the first athlete in history to win back-to-back Olympic marathons. His discipline, humility, and resilience turned him into a national hero and global icon. Tragically, a car accident in 1969 left him paralyzed, and he died in 1973 at just 41. Yet his story remains one of the most inspirational in sports history—a tale of raw talent, courage, and the power of defying expectations.
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