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Chapter 05 of 5

The Unbreakable Spirit

Bikila’s transition to the Paralympics and his lasting mental legacy.

  1. New Horizons

    Redefining the Athlete

    Paralyzed from the waist down, Bikila refused to accept a life of stillness. He traveled to London for treatment and discovered a new competitive outlet.

  2. The Venue

    Stoke Mandeville

    Bikila spent months at this legendary spinal injury center. It was here that he began training for the predecessor to the modern Paralympic Games.

  3. Mechanism

    Adapting the Body

    The marathoner who once relied on his feet now had to master upper-body precision. He traded his running shorts for a specialized archery bow.

17 more cards in this chapter

Could you answer this?

In which winter sport did Abebe Bikila win a gold medal following his paralysis?

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👣 The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner

  1. 01The Guard of Addis AbabaAbebe’s humble start in the Imperial Guard and his discovery of endurance.
  2. 02The Barefoot MiracleThe 1960 Rome Olympics and the decision to run without shoes.
  3. 03The Weight of the ContinentDefending the title in Tokyo while representing a changing Africa.
  4. 04A Change of PaceThe 1969 car accident that halted the runner but not the man.
  5. 05The Unbreakable SpiritBikila’s transition to the Paralympics and his lasting mental legacy.