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.

• Davey FrankelDirector
• Rasselas LakewDirector
• Rasselas LakewWriter
• Davey FrankelWriter
• Mikael AwakeWriter

• Rasselas LakewAbebe Bikila
• Dag MalmbergOnni
• Ruta GedmintasCharlotte
• Abba Waka Dessalegn. The Priest
• Johnny AshenafiCoach Nega
• Woyneshet BelachewTelephone Operator
• Abebe BikilaHimself (archive footage)
• Arne BoysenGunnar Krogsveen
• Yeneneh EzraEmperor Haile Selassie
• Fekadu GemechuUncle
• Mersha GetahunBartender
• Tigist GurmaMotel Manager