Artefacts

Tokyo 1964, participant diploma awarded to Onni NISKANEN (SWE).

Physical description

Trilingual diploma (Japanese, French and English). At the top is the emblem of the Games. Caption: "TOKYO 1964 / THE GAMES OF THE XVIII OLYMPIAD / DIPLOMA / IT IS WITH DEEP APPRECIATION THAT WE AKNOWLEDGE / YOUR DEVOTED EFFORTS AND COOPERTION AT THE TIME / OF THE GAMES OF THE XVIII OLYMPIAD, TOKYO 1964. / ONNIE [sic], NISKANEN / ETHIOPIA / TEAM OFFICIAL / ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR THE GAMES OF THE XVIII OLYMPIAD TOKYO". Signed by the President of the OCOG "DAIGORO YASUKAWA".

Created

Created: Hiromu HARA

Used

Used: Onni NISKANEN

Materials

cardboard

Colors

black and white, red, gold

Dimension

37,6 x 28 cm

Literature

Témoins d'une certaine image des Jeux / Evoking an Image of the Games. Lausanne : Musée Olympique, 2003. 148 p. ISBN 92-9160-074-1.

Type of item

Archives and Documents -> diploma -> participation diploma

Reference number

238515

Keywords

official Tokyo 1964, Olympic Games Ethiopia Athletics/marathon emblem

Notes

Collection of items belonging to Onni NISKANEN, Abebe BIKILA’s coach, comprising his Swedish army parade uniform, his Order of the Star of Ethiopia badge, his participant’s medals from the Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964 Games, and his participant’s diplomas from the Tokyo 1964 and Mexico City 1968 Games. In 1959, Abebe Bikila met Swede Onni Niskanen, who was working as athletes’ director with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, while training at the Debre Zeit sports complex. Niskanen became Bikila’s coach and respected his religious beliefs, which saw the athlete fast for up to 175 days a year, but insisted that he follow a recovery regime involving sauna, cold bath and stretching sessions – methods similar to those pioneered by Niskanen’s fellow Swede Pehr Henrik Ling in the 19th century. These methods ultimately proved successful, as Bikila became a double Olympic champion, winning the marathon at Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964. He was the first Ethiopian athlete to win Olympic gold. This collection of items is supplemented by numerous photos, which are in the possession of the Images and Sounds Section. Donation