20/07/2021
This design is about a patriotic back to back olympic marathon champion,
1960, just 20 years later after the Italian invasion of Ethiopia that ended with Italy’s defeat, Abebe Bikila went to Rome to participate in the Olympic Marathon Race and won the Gold Medal by breaking a new record. Before this historic victory, Abebe was unknown in Ethiopia let alone in the rest of the world. Neither did Ethiopia win anything in the previous Olympic Games
The pair of running shoes provided to Abebe Bikila during the Rome Olympic was not the right size. It was too tight and unfortunately, he couldn't get a replacement on-time. He had no choice but to run with it for seventeen kilometers but couldn't continue anymore in that condition. Abebe decided to throw away the unfitting shoes and continued running on barefoot and finished the race by winning the Gold Medal breaking a new record.
His determination to win against all odds made him famous instantly.
As one Italian newspaper wrote, "Italy sent an army to conquer Ethiopia, but Ethiopia sent one Imperial bodyguard to conquer Rome." It was very emotional at the time for those who witnessed this dramatic event unfold before their eyes.
However, paradoxically and unfortunately, the Ethiopian hero, Abebe Bikila, who put his country, Ethiopia, on the map and opened the floodgate of success, fame, and glory for countless athletes seems largely forgotten by his country and fellow Ethiopians. That his legacy has now faded into current Ethiopian history is not an exaggeration.
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