How Abebe Bikila won the Olympic marathon without shoes

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How Abebe Bikila won the Olympic marathon without shoes
By Popular Science, Claire Maldarelli


FACT: The winner of the 1960 Olympic marathon did the whole race barefoot

Running shoe technology has come a long way in the last 100 years. Companies have added arch support, ridged soles designed to minimize shin splints, and, most recently, literal carbon-fiber plates sandwiched between an energy-returning ultra-lightweight midsole. All of this research and investment is meant to help athletes run their best races, and while world record times, particularly in the marathon, have come down with the advent of higher-tech shoes, sneakers aren’t everything. Case-in-point: Abebe Bikila and his barefoot Olympic triumph.

Bikila was a last minute addition to the Ethiopian marathon squad at the 1960 Summer Olympic games in Rome. According to a documentary on the Olympics YouTube channel, a few days before he was set to leave for the big games, his shoes fell apart. Despite a long search, he couldn’t find a pair comfortable enough for him to race 26.2 miles in.

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How Abebe Bikila won the Olympic marathon without shoes
Popular Science
If you like the stories in this post, we guarantee you'll love the show. FACT: The winner of the 1960 Olympic marathon did the whole race barefoot. By ...