Chapter 03 of 5
Barefoot Through Rome
The unknown Ethiopian who won the Olympic marathon without shoes.
- The Unknown
Who is Abebe Bikila?
When the 1960 Rome Olympic marathon began, few spectators had heard of Abebe Bikila, a soldier from Ethiopia's Imperial Guard.
- The Coach
A Swedish trainer
Bikila was coached by Onni Niskanen, a Swede brought to Ethiopia to develop its athletes, who trained him at high altitude.
- Altitude
Born for thin air
Training in Ethiopia's highlands, well over 2,000 metres up, built the kind of endurance that would shock the world.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
What made Abebe Bikila's 1964 Olympic marathon win especially remarkable?
🏃 The Marathon: From Myth to Two Hours
- 01The Messenger Who Never WasHow a muddled ancient legend became the Olympics' most famous race.
- 02The Royal DistanceWhy the marathon is 26.2 miles — and the race that broke a runner's body.
- 03Barefoot Through RomeThe unknown Ethiopian who won the Olympic marathon without shoes.
- 04The Women Who Ran AnywayWomen were told they couldn't run 26.2 miles. They proved otherwise.
- 05Breaking TwoBiology, carbon-plated shoes and the first marathon under two hours.