Just two days later, the blazing pace through the first 20 kilometers in the marathon helped result in an eventual world record for the barefoot winner, Ethiopia's Abebe Bikila. After they dispatched the rest of the field by 25 kilometers, the leading pair stayed stride-for-stride until the final 500 meters, with Ben Abdesselam finishing a close second in 2:15:41.6, 25.4 seconds behind Abebe's new world record.
The text describes a remarkable achievement by Abebe Bikila, who set a new world record for the marathon while running barefoot. His victory was fueled by his early pace and a thrilling final stretch against Ben Abdesselam.