In the walking year 2003 the friends of the long distances can take part in the DVV Marathon Cup, too. The rules for reaching this award are the same as last year:

For the fullfilling of the "Bikila Abebe Cup" in 2003 You have to take part successfully in eight Marathon events in the walking year 2003. Two IVV-events outside Germany will be accepted. 

In the Marathon record book (s. image), which You can buy at DVV-Geschäftsstelle for € 6,- on Konto 61 457 at Kreissparkasse Altötting-Burghausen BLZ 710 510 10. Please send an E-Mail with Your full adress to dvv.volkssport@t-online.de. 

You have to write in the starting place and date below the record stamp. As special honor the Bikila-Abebe-Diplom (s. image of 2002) will be presented. Additional the Volkssportler will receive a badge. Both awards are included in the price of the record book. All stamps must be walked in the year 2003, You can not finish in 2004. If You can't fulfill the number fo marathon events You cannot get back Your payed money.

Ever the question about the winner of the olympic marathon race briefly lost its tension before the respective start. Up to the year 1964 at the end a runner had always become olympia winners, whom actually not, not yet or was not no more expected. Last large sensation offered Rome 1960 as the barefoot-current Abebe Bikila from Ethiopia on nearly no ticket of the experts was noted. 

It one would have the desired double to achieve for the second time in consequence the olympia victory in the meantime quite thought capable of. But five weeks ago ago before the plays of Tokyo 1964 the Negus Palastgardist of a sudden blind intestinal operation to submit had only had itself. So it was already a small miracle that the dark-membranous title defender stood at all on the starter list. 

The Japanese had unexpectedly completely empty gone out so far with the olympic Leichtathletik competitions in the own country. This painful prick sat low and gnawed at Nippons sporty self-confident its. With the halftime of the olympic Marathon in Chofu town center Abebe Bikila runs with a small projection/lead away Kokichi Tsuburaya from Japan and Bikilas compatriot Demisse Wolde already in front follows. On the kilometers of 30 to 35 falls the preliminary decision runs like a clockwork. Where does this man, who had to stay in bed still few weeks ago after its operation and not yet completely genesen be can, take this unrestrained strength? With arrears of over two minutes Tsuburaya is on the second place. The assignment the gold medal is decided two kilometers before the goal. Nearly three minutes Bikilas
projection/lead amounts to on the Japanese. This projection/lead is impossible to catch up. The king of the Marathon governed consider.

With believe it or not over four minutes projection/lead and sayful new olympic best time runs Abebe Bikila into the olympia stadium of Tokyo and triumphs in its competition for the second time. The desired "double" had succeeded none before it. Comfortably the freshbaked olympia winner on the green lawn of the stadium oval establishes itself and full-leads supple loosening exercises, thus as if it has the far way still before itself. Who experiences it in such a way here, that is safe itself, the man from the African high country in four years at the values of Mexico the impossible will make true and a third time olympic Marathongold will achieve. And it goes exactly there in the year 1968 again to the start. Away from the start it runs, as one it from him used is, the field controlling in the top group. One after the other one the runner separates Montezumas revenge in the Mexican sun glow out slams shut in the starter field cruelly. Bikila Abebe does not seem to wear that all anything. 

But then, the runners pass kilometers of 15, laehmt a Hiobsbotschaft the hundredthousands at the distance and in the stadium: Abebe Bikila winds itself in cramps and the world of largest Marathonheroe must the run terminate. The dream of the three-way olympia victory past is in consequence. The Negus palace guard is dezimiert. Only few months after the run of Mexico Abebe Bikila in his aethiopischen homeland victim of a tragic traffic accident becomes. Despite intensive efforts of a Londoner physician team, where his emperor Haile Selassi had let it fly particularly, binds him in the future heavy injuries to the wheelchair. It will be able to never run again. The large sportsman tried with changing success as elbow contactors and started 1970 in this discipline with the paralympicses. It can exercise its new sport only sitting in the wheelchair. But its health purges. Despite expert medical support its cycle is not to be stopped to the to a large extent dormant seats. The best marathoner of all times became only 39 years old, when he dies on 23 October 1973.