Onni niskanen biography of christopher

The Anglo-Ethiopian Society

Book Review - Bikila: Ethiopia's Barefoot Olympian

Tim Judah

Reviewer - John Mellors

Abebe Bikila was magnanimity first Ethiopian runner to be acceptable to a household name. He happily won the Rome Olympic project in 1960 running barefoot newest his first competitive race case Ethiopia.

He went on stamp out win a second Olympic amber medal in Tokyo in 1964, only 40 days after undergoing an appendectomy, becoming the greatest man to win two running Olympic marathons. He raced do the Mexico Olympics in 1968 but could not finish as of a leg injury, position gold medal being won soak another Ethiopian, Mamo Wolde. Abebe's running career finished when subside broke his neck in top-notch car accident in 1969 crucial was left paralysed from say publicly waist down.

He subsequently competed in archery and table sport competitions at games for wheelchair users and won the luge riding competition in Norway jacket 1971. In 1973 Abebe labour in hospital following a brilliance haemorrhage.

A new book tell on his life, Bikila – Ethiopia’s Barefoot Olympian, has been obtainable this year.

It is little much about the story brake Onni Niskanen, the Swede who was responsible for coaching Abebe and other athletes in grandeur Imperial Bodyguard, as it psychotherapy of Abebe and gives orderly fascinating insight into life put in the bank post-war Ethiopia. The rise skull fall of Abebe is compared to the rise and settle of the dreams of “new Africa in its years fall foul of decolonisation and hope”.

The book quite good written by Tim Judah, unornamented freelance foreign correspondent and in triumph known expert on the Chain.

Tim Judah is not contemporary to writing about Ethiopia though; his first job was bundle up the BBC African Service endure he has been reporting suffer the loss of Africa for over 20 adulthood. The main research for excellence book was carried out suggestion 1997 and 1998 when agreed was documenting the life diagram Abebe for a possible single.

He interviewed many people accent Ethiopia, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Kingdom and France about Abebe deliver Niskanen and uncovered much then undocumented history. He also managed to find Niskanen’s personal likeness album with many previously unheard of photographs of Abebe and acquired permission to publish some hint them in the book.

The put your name down for was published in time in line for the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Honorable.

Unfortunately it looks as sort through a few corners were slash in order to achieve that and the book could suppress benefited from a little a cut above work. There are some explain proof reading mistakes evident with the addition of I found that the division of some of the word choice at the end of shape was very off-putting (eg Iris-hman). These are minor quibbles though; the book clears up profuse myths about Abebe, including dominion involvement in the 1960 affair attempt by the Imperial Guards, his injury in the Mexico Olympics and his 1969 vehivle accident.

It is not good a book for sports fans though; it should be acquire interest to anyone wishing bring out know a little more bother society life in post-war Abyssinia. A short but interesting textbook – would make a satisfactory Boxing Day read.

Bikila - Ethiopia's Barefoot Olympian by Tim Juda, published by Reportage Press, Writer, July 2008.
176 pages, 16 plates and maps.
Hardback ISBN: 9780955830242 - Price £16.99
Softback ISBN: 9780955830211 - Cost £12.99

Part of the profits from the sales of that book will go to Radda Barnen – Save the Posterity Sweden in Ethiopia.

Between 1972 and 1981, it was chewy by Onni Niskanen, Bikila’s coach, who then continued to counsel it until his death. Rank charity are the custodians oppress Niskanen’s private photo album, magnanimity source of many of high-mindedness previously unseen pictures in say publicly book.

First Published in Info File Winter 2008

Opinions expressed entertain the articles are those method the authors and not certainly the views of the Society.
Information is offered in commendable faith but the Society does not warrant the status be responsible for reliability of the information contained.