Abebe Bikila [SEP] cause of death
was invited to the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich as a special guest, and received a standing ovation during the opening ceremony. His countryman Mamo Wolde did not match his back-to-back Olympic marathon victories, finishing third behind Frank Shorter of the United States and Karel Lismont of Belgium. After Shorter received his gold medal, he shook Bikila's hand.
On October 25, 1973, Abebe died in Addis Ababa at age 41 of a cerebral hemorrhage, a complication related to his accident four years earlier. He
, including Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, are named after him. Abebe is the subject of biographies and films documenting his athletic career, and he is often featured in publications about the marathon and the Olympics.
Biography.
Biography Early life.
Abebe Bikila was born on August 7, 1932, in the small community of Jato, then part of the Debre Berhan district of Shewa. His birthday coincided with the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Marathon. Abebe was the son of Wudinesh Beneberu and her second husband, Bikila