Deseret News archives: Abebe Bikila was a trendsetter among Olympic distance runners

A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.

The Olympics make for great stories, personal triumphs and Cinderella moments.

On Sept. 10, 1960, one such story unfolded, and it has changed distance running forever.

On that day in 1960, running barefoot, Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the Olympic marathon in Rome, becoming the first Black African to win Olympic gold.

He would go on to be considered one of the greatest marathon runners of all time, but it was only through a stroke of fortune that Bikila even competed in Rome in 1960.

Per historical reports, he was not originally selected for the Ethiopian team, and was only added at the last minute after Wami Biratu was injured.

The son of a shepherd, Bikila was working as a bodyguard to the Ethiopian royal family when his athletic potential was first spotted and soon showed great potential.

But his selection for the team was still a surprise, and when he arrived in Rome, there were no shoes to fit him. He initially tried running with a pair that weren’t quite the right size but didn’t like them. On the day of the marathon, he reverted to running barefoot, just as he had in training.

The race started in the late afternoon, finished in darkness and did not enter the Olympic stadium for the finale. Yet there was no shortage of excitement and drama, with the barefoot Bikila only pulling away from Morocco’s Rhadi Ben Abdesselami on the final lap 500. He won by 25 seconds, breaking the world record.

When asked about his decision to run in bare feet, he said: “I wanted the world to know that my country, Ethiopia, has always won with determination and heroism.”

His victory made him the first athlete from sub-Saharan Africa to win an Olympic gold medal and launched an era of great African distance runners that continues to this day.

Bikila won a second gold in astonishing style four years later, when he recovered from a bout of appendicitis to retain his title.

He wore running shoes.

The Abebe Bikila Award is an annual prize given by the New York Road Runners club to honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to the sport of long-distance running.

In 1969, Bikila was paralyzed in a car accident, and never walked again. He died in 1973 at age 41, and is honored in his home country for his accomplishments. He truly is a wonderful Olympic hero.

Here are a few stories from Deseret News archives celebrating Bikila, distance running and where Utahns are shining in the sport:

“ No shoes? No problem for some runners ”

“ S. Africans can run in Boston Marathon”

“ Molly Huddle among American women’s surge at NYC Marathon ”

“ Amelia Nielson-Stowell: Reasons to Run: Going barefoot has helped my running ”

“ How Utah became fertile ground for elite runners ”

“ Runners complete story line ”

“ ‘Something special is going on’: How did Utah athletes get so fast? ”

“ Zola Budd quits world track; runner returns to S. Africa with ‘nervous exhaustion’”

“ Slaney, Budd to race again”