The Athlete

The Athlete

92 mins | Drama, History | March 9, 2009

Running the streets of Rome in 1960, an unknown, barefooted Ethiopian man stunned the world by winning Olympic gold in the marathon. Overnight, Abebe Bikila became a sports legend. A hero in his own country and to the continent, Bikila was the first African to win a gold medal, and four years later in Tokyo would become the first person in history to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the marathon.

The Athlete

92 mins | Drama, History | March 9, 2009

The Athlete
Running the streets of Rome in 1960, an unknown, barefooted Ethiopian man stunned the world by winning Olympic gold in the marathon. Overnight, Abebe Bikila became a sports legend. A hero in his own country and to the continent, Bikila was the first African to win a gold medal, and four years later in Tokyo would become the first person in history to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the marathon.
IMDb rating 6.6
Producers Instinctive Film, AV Patchbay, El Atleta
Original title The athlete
Directors Rasselas Lakew, Davey Frankel
Writers Mikael Awake, Rasselas Lakew, Davey Frankel

Cast

Rasselas Lakew

as Abebe Bikila

Dag Malmberg

as Onni

Ruta Gedmintas

as Charlotte

Abba Waka Dessalegn

as . The Priest

Johnny Ashenafi

as Coach Nega

Woyneshet Belachew

as Telephone Operator

Abebe Bikila

as Himself (archive footage)

Arne Boysen

as Gunnar Krogsveen

Yeneneh Ezra

as Emperor Haile Selassie

Fekadu Gemechu

as Uncle

Mersha Getahun

as Bartender

Tigist Gurma

as Motel Manager

Benito Mussolini

as Himself (archive footage)

Hristo Petkov

as Archery coach

Ekaterina Petrova

as Journalist

Assefa Tegene

as Male Border Guard

Zelalem Yetagesu

as Rude Officer