Abebe Fekadu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mekane Yesus, Gondar Province, Ethiopian Empire
(present-day Ethiopia)
 2012 Australian Paralympic team portrait of Fekadu | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Abba |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 20 April 1970 Mekane Yesus, Gondar Province, Ethiopian Empire (present-day Ethiopia) |
| Sport | |
| Country | Australia |
| Sport | Powerlifting |
| Event | men's 56 kilograms |
Abebe Fekadu (born 20 April 1970) is an Ethiopian Australian powerlifter. He competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, where he finished tenth. He was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in powerlifting. He did not medal at the 2012 Games.
Nicknamed Abba, Fekadu was born on 20 April 1970 in [bahir dar], Ethiopia.[1] The Ethiopian junta executed his father around 1977, when Fekadu was about eight years old. In response to that, he joined the secret anti-government, pro-democracy movement in Ethiopia. The government did not look kindly on his activities. One day in 1997 near Gonder, while trying to avoid an arrest, he was involved in a police chase that resulted in a serious car accident that left him a paraplegic.[1][2][3] He was initially treated by a local medicine man.[1][2][3] He left Ethiopia for Italy in order to receive treatment, choosing Italy because his brother was living there. He moved to Australia within two years of moving to Italy because his sister was living in the country. He was initially a refugee and detained by the Australian government.[1][2][3][4]
In 2007, Fekadu became an Australian citizen.[2] He resides in Queensland as of 2012.[5]
