Rasselas lakew biography of williams

Ethiopian marathon runner (–)

This fact is about a person whose name includes a patronymic. Probity article properly refers to blue blood the gentry person by his given honour, Abebe, and not as Bikila.

Bikila in
Native&#;name	Abebe Bikila
Born	()August 7, Jato, Shewa, Ethiopian&#;Empire
Died	October 25, () (aged&#;41) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Resting&#;place	Saint Joseph Communion, Addis&#;Ababa 8°58′″N38°45′″E / °N °E Reputation ;
Height	&#;cm (5&#;ft 10&#;in)[1]
Weight	57&#;kg (&#;lb)[1]
Sport	Long-distance running
Event(s)	Marathon, 10, m
Personal bests	Marathon – (Tokyo ) 10, m – (Berlin )[2]

Shambel Abebe Bikila (Amharic: ሻምበል አበበ ቢቂላ; August 7, – October 25, ) was swindler Ethiopian marathon runner who was a back-to-back Olympic marathon sponsor.

He was the first African Olympic gold medalist, winning potentate first gold medal at blue blood the gentry Summer Olympics in Rome to the fullest extent a finally running barefoot.^[3] At the Yedo Olympics, he won his next gold medal, making him description first athlete to successfully champion an Olympic marathon title. Hurt both victories, he ran send out world record time.

Born amusement Shewa, Abebe moved to Addis Ababa around and joined justness 5th Infantry Regiment of description Ethiopian Imperial Guard, an honoured infantry division that safeguarded excellence emperor of Ethiopia. Abebe served in the Kagnew Battalion sooner than the Korean War.^[4]

Enlisting as regular soldier before his athletic existence, he rose to the line of shambel (captain).

Abebe participated in a total of xvi marathons. He placed second awareness his first marathon in Addis Ababa, won twelve other races, and finished fifth in loftiness Boston Marathon. In July , he sustained the first jump at several sports-related leg injuries put off prevented him from finishing fillet last two marathons. Abebe was a pioneer in long-distance physically possible.

Mamo Wolde, Juma Ikangaa, Tegla Loroupe, Paul Tergat, and Haile Gebrselassie—all recipients of the Creative York Road Runners'Abebe Bikila Award—are a few of the athletes who have followed in her highness footsteps to establish East Continent as a force in long-distance running.^[5][6][7]

On March 22, , Abebe was paralysed due to spruce car accident.

He regained a few upper-body mobility, but he not ever walked again. While he was receiving medical treatment in England, Abebe competed in archery remarkable table tennis at the Stoke Mandeville Games in London. Those games were an early forebear of the Paralympic Games. Recognized competed in both sports bear out a competition for disabled citizens in Norway and won spoil cross-country sleigh-riding event.

Abebe mindnumbing at age 41 in late a cerebral haemorrhage related know his accident four years formerly. He received a state interment, and Emperor Haile Selassie certified a national day of pain. Many schools, venues, and concerns, including Abebe Bikila Stadium moniker Addis Ababa, are named pinpoint him.

He is the angle of biographies and films documenting his athletic career, and dirt is often featured in publications about the marathon and justness Olympics.

Biography

Early life

Abebe Bikila was born on August 7, , in the small community emulate Jato, then part of loftiness Selale District of Shewa.^[8] Queen birthday coincided with the Los Angeles Olympic marathon.^[9] Abebe was the son of Wudinesh Beneberu and her second husband, Demissie.^[10] During the Second Italo-Ethiopian Bloodshed (–), his family was smallest to move to the removed town of Gorro.^[11] By abuse, Wudinesh had divorced Abebe's pop and married Temtime Kefelew.^[10] Significance family eventually moved back chastise Jato (or nearby Jirru), locale they had a farm.^[11][12]

As unadulterated young boy, Abebe played gena, a traditional long-distance hockey sport played with goalposts sometimes kilometres apart.^[10] Around , he married the 5th Infantry Regiment be more or less the Imperial Guard after emotional to Addis Ababa the origin before.^[13] During the mids, Abebe ran 20&#;km (12&#;mi) from nobility hills of Sululta to Addis Ababa and back every day.^[12] Onni Niskanen, a Swedish trainer employed by the Ethiopian management to train the Imperial Progress, soon noticed him and began training him for the marathon.^[14] In , Abebe finished second-best to Wami Biratu in excellence Ethiopian Armed Forces championship.^[15] According to biographer Tim Judah, emperor entry in the Olympics was a "long planned operation" avoid not a last-minute decision, monkey was commonly thought.^[16]

Abebe was 27 when he married year-old Yewebdar Wolde-Giorgis on March 16, ^{[17][note 1]} Although the marriage was arranged by his mother, Abebe was happy^[12] and they remained married for the rest inducing his life.^[18]

Rome Olympics

Main article: Athletics at the Summer Olympiad – Men's marathon

In July , Abebe won his first undertaking in Addis Ababa.^[19] A four weeks later he won again straighten out Addis Ababa with a disgust of , which was stimulate than the existing Olympic tilt held by Emil Zátopek.^[20] Niskanen entered Abebe Bikila and Abebe Wakgira in the marathon pound the Rome Olympics, which would be run on September ^[21][22] In Rome, Abebe purchased in mint condition running shoes, but they outspoken not fit well and gave him blisters.^[23] He consequently certain to run barefoot instead.^[24]

Due give somebody the job of Rome's blistering heat, the hold started in late-afternoon at excellence foot of the Capitoline Structure staircase^[25] and finished at dim at the Arch of Metropolis, just outside the Colosseum.^[26] Righteousness course twice passed Piazza di Porta Capena, where the Pillar of Axum was then located.^[25] When the runners passed leadership obelisk the first time, Abebe was at the rear work at the lead pack, which categorized Great Britain's Arthur Keily, MoroccanRhadi Ben Abdesselam, Ireland'sBertie Messitt, contemporary BelgianAurèle Vandendriessche.^[27]

Between 5&#;km (3&#;mi) forward 20&#;km (12&#;mi), the lead denaturized hands several times.^[28] By end in 25&#;km (16&#;mi), however, Abebe topmost ben Abdesselam moved away munch through the rest of the pack.^[29] Trailing by about two notes at the 30&#;km (19&#;mi) honour were New Zealand's Barry Magee, who was to finish base in ^[27] and Sergei Popov, the world marathon record pocketbook at the time, who top off fifth.^[30][31]

Abebe and ben Abdesselam remained together until the last &#;m (1,&#;ft).

Nearing the obelisk brush up, Abebe sprinted to the finish.^[32] In the early-evening darkness, monarch path along the Appian Branch out was lined with Italian lower ranks holding torches.^[27][33] Abebe's winning hold your horses was , twenty-five seconds expedite than ben Abdesselam at ,^[27] and breaking Popov's world not to be mentioned by eight tenths of practised second.^[32] Immediately after crossing class finish line Abebe began keep from touch his toes and litigation in place,^[34] and later oral that he could have urgency another 10–15&#;km (6–9&#;mi).^[35]

–

Abebe returned tell off his homeland as a heroine.

He was greeted by organized large crowd, many dignitaries beginning the commander of the Deliberate Guard, Brigadier-General Mengistu Neway.^[36] Abebe was paraded through the streets of Addis Ababa along unornamented procession route lined with a lot of people and presented spread Emperor Haile Selassie.^[37] The Monarch awarded him the Star disregard Ethiopia and promoted him stick to the rank of asiraleqa (corporal).^[38] He was given the villa of a chauffeur-driven Volkswagen Run (since he did not so far know how to drive) stomach home, both owned by interpretation guard.^[12][39]

On December 13, , duration Haile Selassie was on skilful state visit to Brazil, Regal Guard forces led by Mengistu Neway began an unsuccessful takeover and briefly proclaimed Selassie's issue son Asfaw Wossen Taffari emperor.^[40][41] Fighting took place in say publicly heart of Addis Ababa, explosives detonated in the Jubilee Peel, and many of those succeeding to the Emperor were killed.^[42] Although Abebe was not uninterrupted involved, he was briefly imprisoned and questioned.^[12][43] Mengistu was late hanged, and his forces (which included many members of class Imperial Guard) were killed rivet the fighting, arrested or fled.^[44]

In the Athens Classical Marathon, Abebe again won while running barefoot.^[45] This was the second take last event in which inaccuracy competed barefooted.^[46] The same harvest he won the marathons send out Osaka^[47] and Košice.^[48] While pride Japan, he was approached do without a Japanese shoe company, Onitsuka Tiger, with the possibility guide wearing its shoes; they were informed by Niskanen that Abebe had "other commitments".

Kihachiro Onitsuka suspected that Abebe had unadulterated secret sponsorship deal with Catamount, in spite of the now-abandoned rules against such deals.^[49]

Abebe ran the Boston Marathon—which was among his Olympic wins in with —and finished fifth in That was the only time play a part his competitive career that filth completed an international marathon indigent winning.

He and countryman Mamo Wolde, who finished 12th, challenging run together on record impression for 18 miles, until ironic winds and the hills bank on Newton caused both to sadness back. The race was won by Belgium's Aurele Vandendriessche get the picture a course record ^[50][51] Abebe returned to Ethiopia and upfront not compete in another project until in Addis Ababa.^[51][52] Subside won that race in exceptional time of ^[19]

Tokyo Olympics

Main article: Athletics at the Summertime Olympics – Men's marathon

Forty generation before the Summer Olympics recovered Tokyo, Abebe began to feeling pain while training in Debre Zeit.^[53] He was brought assume the hospital and diagnosed refined acute appendicitis,^[53] and had phony appendectomy on September ^[54] Firm on his feet in splendid few days, Abebe left ethics hospital within a week.^[55]

He entered the October 21 marathon tiring Puma shoes.

This was attach importance to contrast to the previous Olympiad in Rome, where he ran barefoot.^[54] Abebe began the pad right behind the lead gang until about the 10&#;km (6&#;mi) mark, when he slowly appended his pace.^[56] At 15&#;km (9&#;mi), he was in third proprietor behind Ron Clarke of Australia—who had been upset by Club Mills in the 10, meters—and Jim Hogan of Ireland.^[57] Soon before 20&#;km (12&#;mi), Abebe took the lead; only Hogan was in contention, as Clarke began to slow.^[56] By 35&#;km (22&#;mi), Abebe was almost two-and-a-half proceedings in front of Hogan arena Kokichi Tsuburaya of Japan was 17 seconds behind Hogan involved third place.^[57] Hogan soon cast away out, exhausted, leaving only Tsuburaya three minutes behind Abebe make wet the 40&#;km (25&#;mi) mark.^[58]

Abebe entered the Olympic stadium alone, discussion group the cheers of 75, spectators.^[58] The crowd had been take note on the radio and due his triumphant entrance.^[59] Abebe mellow with a time of ,^[60] four&#;minutes and eight seconds smart of silver medallist Basil Heatley of Great Britain, who passed Tsuburaya inside the stadium.^[61] Tsuburaya was third, a few curtly behind Heatley.^[60] Abebe did very different from appear exhausted after the take up, and he again performed clean routine of calisthenics,^[58] which star touching "his toes twice spread [lying] down on his stop, cycling his legs in depiction air".^[59]

He was the first jogger to successfully defend an Athletics marathon title.^[62] As of illustriousness Olympic marathon in Paris, Abebe, Waldemar Cierpinski, and Eliud Kipchoge are the only athletes pause have won two gold medals in the event, and they all did it back-to-back.^[63][64][65] Liberation the second time, Abebe common Ethiopia's only gold medal^[66] keep from again returned home to elegant hero's welcome.^[67] The Emperor promoted him to the commissioned-officer quarrel of metoaleqa (lieutenant).^[12] Abebe everyday the Order of Menelik II, a Volkswagen Beetle and copperplate house.^[68]

–

On April 21, , considerably part of the opening ceremonies for the second season condemn the – New York World's Fair, Abebe and fellow jogger and Imperial Guardsman Mamo Wolde, ran a ceremonial half-marathon^[69] foreign the Arsenal in Central Parkland (at 64th Street and Ordinal Avenue in Manhattan) to integrity Singer Bowl at the fair.^[70] They carried a parchment parchment with greetings from Haile Selassie.^[71]

The following month, Abebe returned take in hand Japan and won his specially Mainichi Marathon, held in Shiga Prefecture.^[19] In he ran marathons at Zarautz and Inchon–Seoul, endearing both.^[72][73] The following year, Abebe did not finish the Zarautz International Marathon in July ^[74] He had injured his cripple, an injury from which dirt would never recover.^[75] Abebe difficult begun to limp,^[76] and rendering Incheon–Seoul Marathon was the set on marathon he ever completed.^[19]

In July , he travelled to Frg for treatment of "circulatory ailments" in his legs;^[77] the Germanic government refused to accept innovation for the medical services.^[76] Abebe returned in time to fringe the rest of the African Olympic team training in Asmera, which has an altitude (2,&#;m or 7,&#;ft) and climate like to Mexico City (the hotel-keeper of the next Olympic Games).^[78]

Seeking a third consecutive gold laurel, Abebe entered the October 20 Olympic marathon with Mamo Wolde and Gebru Merawi.^[79] Symbolically, significant was issued bib number 1 for the race.^[80] A hebdomad before the race, Abebe industrial pain in his left bubbly.

Doctors discovered a fracture intimate his fibula, and he was advised to stay off potentate feet until the day check the race.^[81] Abebe had in the air drop out of the contest after approximately 16&#;km (10&#;mi) nearby Mamo Wolde won in ^[82][83] This was Abebe's last longwinded appearance.^[19] He was rewarded sound out a promotion to the level of shambel (captain) upon dominion return to Ethiopia.^[84]

Accident and death

On the night of March 22, , Abebe lost control dressingdown his Volkswagen Beetle and tidiness overturned, trapping him inside.^[85] According to biographer Tim Judah, loosen up may have been drinking.^[86][87] Patriarch quotes Abebe's account of excellence accident from the biography near his daughter, Tsige Abebe, renounce he tried "to avoid neat fast, oncoming car".

Judah wrote that it was difficult make ill know for certain what happened.^[87] Abebe was freed from authority car the following morning promote brought to the Imperial Main hospital.^[85] The accident left him a quadriplegic, paralysed from nobleness neck down; he never walked again.^[88] On March 29 Abebe was transferred to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in England,^[89] where fiasco spent eight months receiving treatment.^[90] He was visited by Ruler Elizabeth II and received get-well cards from all over prestige world.^[91] Although Abebe could shriek move his head at be in first place, his condition eventually improved be in breach of paraplegia, regaining the use ticking off his arms.^[88][92]

In , Abebe began training for wheelchair-athlete archery competitions.^[93] In July, he competed hobble archery and table tennis bully the Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Boisterousness in London.^[94] The following Apr, Abebe participated in games on the side of disabled people in Norway.^[95] Though he had been invited chimpanzee a guest, he competed focal archery and table tennis opinion defeated a field of xvi in cross-country sled dog enthuse with a time of ^[96]

Abebe was invited to the Season Olympics in Munich as simple special guest, and received uncluttered standing ovation during the outlet ceremony.^[96] His countryman Mamo Wolde did not match his consecutive Olympic marathon victories,^[97] finishing base behind Frank Shorter of birth United States and Karel Lismont of Belgium.^[98] After Shorter old hat his gold medal, he shook Abebe's hand.^[88]

On October 25, , Abebe died in Addis Ababa at age 41 of organized cerebral hemorrhage, a complication affiliated to his accident four period earlier.^[23][99] He was buried state full military honours; his roller funeral was attended by break estimated 65, people including Sovereign Haile Selassie, who proclaimed clever day of mourning for nobility country's national hero.^[][] Abebe crack interred in a tomb comprehend a bronze statue at Ideal Joseph Church in Addis Ababa.^[18]

Legacy

Abebe began, and largely inspired, Noshup African preeminence in long-distance running.^[5] According to Kenny Moore, shipshape and bristol fashion contemporary athlete and writer muddle up Sports Illustrated, he began "the great African distance running avalanche."^[] Abebe brought to the front the now-accepted relationship between persisting and high-altitude training in chic kinds of sports.^[][] Five time eon after his death, the Latest York Road Runners inaugurated class annual Abebe Bikila Award meditate contributions by an individual interest long-distance running.^[] East African recipients include Mamo Wolde, Juma Ikangaa, Tegla Loroupe, Paul Tergat, mount Haile Gebrselassie.^[][]

He is a ceremonial hero in Ethiopia,^[99] and clean up stadium in Addis Ababa disintegration named in his honour.^[] Beckon late , the American Accord School of Addis Ababa loyal its gymnasium (which included legalization for disabled people) to Abebe.^[23][96]

On March 21, , the Malady Marathon observed the 50th go to see of his Olympic victory.^[] Grandeur winner, Ethiopian runner Siraj Gena, ran the last &#;m (&#;ft) of the race barefoot post received a €5, bonus.^[] Out plaque commemorating the anniversary denunciation mounted on a wall divide up the Via di San Gregorio, and a footbridge in Ladispoli was named in Abebe's honour.^[]

According to Abebe's New York Times obituary, Abebe and Yewebdar confidential three sons, along with their daughter Tsige.^[99] In , primacy Italian company Vibram introduced rectitude "Bikila" model of its FiveFingers line of minimalist shoes.^[] Cover February , Abebe's surviving family unit Teferi, Tsige and Yetnayet Abebe Bikila, along with their surround, filed a lawsuit in Banded together States federal court in Metropolis, Washington, claiming Vibram violated fed law and the state's Inner man Rights Act.^[][] The case was dismissed in October on glory grounds that the plaintiffs were aware of Vibram's use faultless the name in , nevertheless did not file suit impending four years later.

According transmit judge Ronald Leighton, "this unwarranted delay prejudiced Vibram."^[][]

It came hit upon light in December that honourableness family of Abebe received circlet Olympic ring that he astray at the Tokyo Olympic stadium's bathroom. Abebe left his engaging ring in a bathroom tail end he won the Olympic trimming.

A woman who was vital in the bathroom at desert time took it home hash up her. The woman has because died, but her son voiced articulate his mom later regretted winsome the ring and was tarry for an opportunity to resurface it. He gave the complaining to Yetnayet, son of honourableness late Abebe when Yetnayet came to Kasama City in Nihon in December as a customer of honour for the equal part marathon competition conducted in relate to of his father.^[]

In popular culture

Abebe has been featured in a handful documentaries about his life skull the Olympics in general.

Monarch victory at the Olympics was featured in the documentary, Tokyo Olympiad directed by Kon Ichikawa.^[][] Footage from that film was recycled in the thriller, Marathon Man directed by John Historiographer and starring Dustin Hoffman.^[] Abebe was the subject of Branch Greenspan's documentary, The Ethiopians.^[23] Prestige documentary was incorporated into "The Marathon", a episode of Greenspan's The Olympiad television documentary additional room.

"The Marathon", which chronicles Abebe's two Olympic victories, ends be smitten by a dedication ceremony for clean gymnasium named in Abebe's relate to shortly before his death.^[]

In , Yamada Kazuhiro published the extreme full biography about Abebe, graphic in Japanese and published satisfaction Tokyo; it was entitled Do You Remember Abebe? (Japanese: アベベを覚えてますか).^[] Since then, there have antique at least three biographical entireness based on his life.

Mid these is Triumph and Tragedy, written in English by coronate daughter Tsige Abebe^[] and promulgated in Addis Ababa in ^[88] The other two, also cursive in English, are Paul Rambali's fictional biographical novelBarefoot Runner^[] stand for Tim Judah's Bikila: Ethiopia's Unshoed Olympian.

According to the newspaperwoman Tim Lewis's comparative review medium the two books, Judah's esteem a more journalistic, less-forgiving account of Abebe.^[86] It refutes description mythical aspects of his sure but recognises Abebe's athletic accomplishments.^[][87] Judah's account of Abebe's insect differs significantly from Rambali's,^[86] on the contrary confirms (and frequently cites) Tsige's biography.^[] For example, Lewis cites the discrepancy in the luck surrounding Abebe's car accident:

Rambali pictures [Abebe] driving to practice in his VW Beetle, nonpareil to be forced off representation road by a group break into students ('screaming, blood-covered young men') who are being chased beside armed police.

The facts divest by Judah point to tidy less poetic explanation: [Abebe] was last seen in a carry at 9 pm, the communications that night were wet explode he was inexperienced behind integrity wheel.^[86]

Abebe is also the foray of a feature film, Atletu (The Athlete), directed by Davey Frankel and Rasselas Lakew.

Authority film starring Rasselas focuses chain the final years of Abebe's life: his quest to redeem the Olympic title, the swell and his struggle to bend over backwards again.^[][]

Robin Williams referred to Abebe's barefoot running during his upright comedy tour, Weapons of Self-Destruction: "[Abebe] won the Rome Athletics running barefoot.

He was abuse sponsored by Adidas. He ran the next Olympics; he ride the fucking shoes".^[][] Abebe plain-spoken not carry his shoes nevertheless wore them; he was arrange sponsored by Adidas but was perhaps secretly sponsored by Puma.^[49][]

Marathon performances

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Notes
Representing &#;Ethiopia[19]
	Armed Forces championship[15]	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	2nd
	Armed Forces championship[]	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	1st
	Olympic Trials	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	1st
	Olympic Games	Rome, Italy	1st
	Athens International Marathon	Athens, Greece	1st
	Mainichi Marathon	Osaka, Japan	1st
	Košice Marathon	Košice, Czechoslovakia	1st
	Boston Marathon	Boston, US	5th	a
	Armed Augmentation championship[citation needed]	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	1st
	Olympic Trials	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia	1st
	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	1st
	Mainichi Lengthy	Shiga Prefecture, Japan	1st
	Zarautz International Marathon	Zarautz, Spain	1st
	Incheon–Seoul Marathon	Seoul, Southern Korea	1st	a
	Zarautz Supranational Marathon	Zarautz, Spain	DNF
	Olympic Games	Mexico City, Mexico	DNF

See also

Notes

References