Olympic Trivia

The end of the Beijing Olympics is drawing near so this may be my last Olympic trivia.



Q: What was unique about marathon Olympic gold medalist Abebe Bikila?

A: He won his first marathon BAREFOOT/ He was the first athlete to win 2 consecutive gold medals at marathon. (source:paulsquiz.com)





Bio:

Abebe Bikila (August 7, 1932 – October 25, 1973) was a two-time Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia. A stadium in Addis Ababa is named in his honor...

In 1969, during civil unrest in Addis, Bikila was driving his Volkswagen Beetle when he had to swerve to avoid a group of protesting students. He lost control of his car and it landed in a ditch, trapping him. He was freed out of the car but the accident left him quadriplegic...

In October 1973, Abebe Bikila died in Addis Ababa at the age of 41 from a cerebral hemorrhage, a complication related to the accident of four years earlier.


Quotes:


*After the race, when Bikila was asked why he had run barefoot, he replied,

“I wanted the world to know that my country, Ethiopia, has always won with determination and heroism."


*As regards the accident that left him quadriplegic, he said:

"Men of success meet with tragedy. It was the will of God that I won the Olympics, and it was the will of God that I met with my accident. I accepted those victories as I accept this tragedy. I have to accept both circumstances as facts of life and live happily."(source: wikipedia)



When I started this Olympic trivia series, I really intended to end it with Abebe Bikila's story, because for me his attitude is worth emulating. Yes, in good times & in bad, we should maintain gratefulness to God no matter what.





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See also:
Beijing Olympics 2008
More: Olympic Trivia




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