Abebe Bikila wins gold at Rome Olympic Games

Ethiopian Abebe Bikila, running barefoot, became the first Black African to win gold in the history of the Olympic Games. In the process Bikila set a new world record at 2:16:2. Explaining later why he ran barefoot, Bikila said, "I wanted the world to know that my country, Ethiopia, has always won with determination and heroism." Four years later during the Tokyo Olympics, Abebe's fame has already reached all corners of the globe. Six weeks before the big race that awaited him, Abebe was taken ill with appendicitis. He underwent surgery amid a public outcry for proper medical counsel to decide on the procedure. The day he arrived in Tokyo, Abebe hadn't fully recovered from the surgery and limped his way down the stairs. However, the reception Abebe received from the Japanese people helped him to become the first athlete ever to win two Olympic marathons. Bikila died in October 1973.