A Barefoot Ethiopian Conquers Rome

In 1936, the Roman dictator Benito Mussolini conquered Ethiopia, and Abebe Bikila conquered Rome twenty years later. As a last minute replacement for the 1960 Olympic team, Bikila was unable to find a comfortable pare of running shoes. His coaches decided he should run the hard surface 26 mile course in his bare feet. Bikila ran in record time and became the first African to win a gold medal. He won again in the 1964 Olympics—this time wearing shoes. Bikila died at 41 of complications resulted from a car accident that had left him a paraplegic. A national day of morning was proclaimed to honor the humble Ethiopian who had gained victory for them in Rome.

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[SalvadorLosAngeles]

Go Barefoot!

[t k mukherjee]

He was a truly great olympian.his victories rank right at the top with jesse owens,al oerter, emile zatopek , carl lewis, bob beamon (Last two legends from my latter years)

I was 13 yrs old when my father read out to me from a newspaper that a black african athlete from ethiopia(Abbysinia) named Abebe Bikila has won the rome olympics marathon barefoot in a record time.He had tears in his eyes.

Great deeds always bring tears to your eyes.

tapan delhi

[Ludanyke]

Lol, I can't believe Robin Williams brought me here.

[hummusman2]

Addidas gave him a shoe sponsorship and he carried the shoes the next marqthon haha

[allgoo19]

Only one back to back marathon winner in the Olympic history.

Both times, he ran the course all alone most of the way.

He didn't have to pay attention to other runners or look back and see whose coming up behind, so he looked at the ground in front of him emotionlessly while running. He was given a nick name "Running philosopher" because of it.

[runlevel0]

A true god of sports! Bikila is and will always be the greatest!

[Jonathan Kendrew]

EVEN History Unwrapped has done something about this man!!!! Wow, that is really amazing. God bless Abebe and let him rest in peace!

[1959Mercy]

@brewpat Ata Loqmats-lomi tefelitka.Kem Abebe Bikila zkone neger itiopia - bhafash bza´iba Itiopia tsbuq zikhone neger zetsel´leka iskha tiray ika.Lomi @brewpat- tsibah dima kali´i @....ika.You odd-remain forever odd.

[Brewer Patriot]

You are a fucking asshat. When did I ever compare Windslow to Bikila? You know when? Never. I didn't.

Here is the whole deal you jackhole, the video says Bikila was the first African to win an Olympic gold medal. He wasn't. Point over. No mention by anyone, except you because you are a stupid tart, about the country being free, who is better than who. Nothing. Bikila was not the first African to win a gold. You lose, you are a moron.

[1959Mercy]

An idiot is one who compares Charles Windslow of Aparthaide South Africa who´s passed into forgotten history with The Exteremely Uniquie & Unforgottable Great Abebe Bikila by whom the whole africans & the athletics world in general are proud of. I am afraid no one except you shares your idiot idea to replace Bikila´s name & place in history by Windslow´s.WHAT A STUPIDITY!!!!!!!!!!

[Brewer Patriot]

You are an idiot.

:32 into the video it says "Became the first African to win and Olympic gold medal"

THAT'S NOT TRUE! If you could pull your head out of your ass, it doesn't say "first black African" it doesn't say "first African from a free country" it says "FIRST AFRICAN TO WIN AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL."

Face it, you are wrong. Now go back to sleep before you hurt yourself.

[1959Mercy]

Abebe Bikila is the 1st ever black african olympic gold medalis, till then Ze black africans weren´t even considered as real challenging athlets on international arenas - zos hu thought so million times said ur argument "Charles Windslow won 2 Gold & 1 Bronze only 4 he was a white- not of the indeginouse black south africans." IF U DON´T ACCEPT THIS FACT-POSSIBLY U R 1 OF ZOS IDIOT RACISTS HU R UNWILLING TO RESPECT THE GREAT ABEBE BIKILA. Never & ever forget he did it bare footed.