Aurèle Vandendriessche (born 4 July 1932) is a retired Belgian marathon runner, who won silver medals at the 1962 and 1966 European Championships. He competed at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics with the best result of seventh place in

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarc ...

. Twice winner of the Boston Marathon (1963 and 1964), he recorded his best time there, 2:17:44 in 1965, while finishing fourth. At the 1960 Olympics,

Abebe Bikila ''Shambel'' Abebe Bikila ( am, ሻምበል አበበ ቢቂላ; August 7, 1932 – October 25, 1973) was an Ethiopian marathon runner who was a back-to-back Olympic marathon champion. He is the first Ethiopian Olympic gold medalist, winnin ...

, followed barefoot at the rear of the lead pack, which was moving at a scorching pace and included

Arthur Keily Arthur Patrick Keily (18 March 1921 – 2 March 2016) was a British marathon runner. Originally an amateur footballer, Keily served during the Second World War and, upon his return to England, was placed on the reserve list of his former team a ...

, Bakir Benaïssa,

Rhadi Ben Abdesselam Rhadi Ben Abdesselam ( ar, راضي بن عبد السلام; 28 February 1929 – 4 October 2000) was a Moroccan long-distance runner. He competed at the 1960 Olympics in the marathon and 10,000 meters events. He also ran in the Internationa ...

who was the reigning world cross-country champion,

Bertie Messitt Bertie Messitt (28 September 1930 – 18 February 2012) was an Irish long-distance runner. He was educated in Saint Cronan's Boys' National School in Bray. A bus conductor, he won his fourth Irish cross country title in 1961. By the time he ...

, the marathon world record holder Sergey Popov, and Vandendriessche. Bikila won, setting a world record at 2:15:16.2. After they dispatched the rest of the field by 25 kilometers, Abdesselam stayed with Bikila until the final 500 meters, finishing second in 2:15:41.6. Vandendriessche abandoned the race. He placed seventh at the 1964 Olympics, where Bikila won again with a new worlds record. Abebe Bikila 1960 Olympics

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1932 births Living people Belgian male long-distance runners Athletes (track and field) at the 1956 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics Olympic athletes of Belgium People from Anzegem Boston Marathon male winners European Athletics Championships medalists Sportspeople from West Flanders {{Belgium-athletics-bio-stub