The Role Models

Abebe Bikila Marathon
Born:
August 7, 1932, in Jato, on the day of the Los Angeles Olympic marathon.
First man to win the Olympic marathon twice
Olympic medals:
Golds- Rome, 1960, and
Tokyo, 1964

Mamo Wolde
Marathon and 10,000m
Born:
June 12, 1932 in Diri Jille
Did distinguished military service in Korea for two years for UN peace keeping mission. A day before the 1968 marathon, was informed Bikila will not be able to finish the race and Ethiopian hopes rested on him.
Won a bronze in 10,000m, at the age of 40
Olympic medals:
Gold- Marathon, 1968, Silver- 10,000m, 1968, and Bronze- 10,000m, Munich, 1972

Miruts Yifter
10,000m and 5,000m
Born:
May 15, 1944
Had to wait for eight years before he could get a Gold.
In 1972, he won a 10,000m Bronze, but missed 5000m. Ethiopia boycotted the 1976 Games.
Won both the 10,000m and the 5,000m at Moscow, 1980.
Olympic medals:
Gold- Moscow, 1980, and a Bronze- Munich, 1972

Haile Gebrselassie
10,000m
Born:
April 18, 1973 in Arssi
In 1996, and in 2000, overtook Kenyan Paul
Tergat in the final lap to win the 10,000m Golds.
Olympic medals:
Golds- Atlanta, 1996 and Sydney, 2000

Derartu Tulu
10,000m
First Black African Woman Champion
Born:
21 March 1972 in Bekoji
Beat Elana Meyer, a white South African, to the 1992 Gold, and then performed a victory lap hand-in-hand with her.
When people thought her career was over, won the 2000 Gold too.
Olympic medals:
Golds- Barcelona,1992 and Atlanta, 1996 and a Bronze- Athens, 2004