MAMO WOLDE

Degaga Mamo Wolde  was an Ethiopian long distance track and road runner and was winner of the marathon at the 1968 Summer Olympics.

Mamo Wolde was born in the village of Dredele about 60 km from Addis Abeba. He grew up in a traditional upbringing, spending most of his childhood in Dredele where he attended elementary school education. In June 1951, he was hired by the Imperial Body Guard. While at the prestigious armed forces, Mamo was able to further his education. In 1953, he was transferred to the Second Battalion of the Imperial Guard and was sent to Korea as part of the UN peacekeeping mission. Mamo spent 2 years in Korea and as he returned back home he continued to pursue his passion for athletics quiet regularly.

At his first Olympic appearance in 1956, Wolde competed in various disciples: 800m , 1500m  and 4x400 relay. He did’nt compete in the 1960 Summer Olympics at which Abebe Bikila became the first Ethiopian athlete to win a gold medal. Wolde claimed his absence was due to the government’s order to send him on a peacekeeping mission to the Congo during the political turmoil  in 1960s.

After that period, Wolde’s focus changed from middle distance races to long distances. He ranked fourth in the 10000m context at the 1964 Summer Olympics. After Abebe Bikila had won the 1964 Olympic marathon, Wolde became the second Ethiopian to win the title in that race. Earlier in the same Olympics, Wolde had already won the silver medal in 10000m competition.

But in 1972, Wolde won a third Olympic medal at the age of 40, winning bronze in the marathon. He blamed his third place showing on ill-fitting shoes forced on him by Ethiopian officials. Nonetheless he became the second athlete in Olympic history to become medallist in successive Olympic marathons.

He won the marathon race All-Africa Games in 1973.

In his athletic career, Mamo had participated in a total of 62 international competitions. He died May 26,  2002 aged 69.