56 Bikila 1964 Olympics 0002200P

24 Oct 1964: Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia runs through the streets of Tokyo, on his way to winning the marathon at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. In 1960 in Rome, barely known outside his country, he ran barefoot to become the first black African to winan Olympic title. Four years later, he wore shoes and won by an even greater margin, just five weeks after having his appendix removed and losing eleven days training in his final preparation. Sadly he was badly injured in a car crash five years laterand died prematurely at the age of 41. Under a bursary scheme provided by the IOC, his two children completed their education at Loughborough College in Britain. Mandatory Credit: IOC/Allsport