24 years after his country’s capital was conquered by Italy, Ethiopia’s Abebe Bikila became the first black African to win gold. View a gallery of pictures of Bikila here. Few could have predicted ...

You are able to gift 5 more articles this month. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. Learn more. Abebe Bikila was an Ethiopian marathon runner who won gold medals in the ...

Born to a shepherd in a town 25 kilometres outside Mendida, Ethiopia, Abebe Bikila’s family was one of modest means. As he did not grow up with much, Bikila decided to help his family out with ...