1-345-720 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Dorando Pietri finishing the first modern Olympic marathon, London, 1908. The marathon at the London Olympics of 1908 was run in ususually hot conditions. Italian athlete Dorando Pietro arrived at the stadium alone in the lead but, suffering from exhaustion and dehydration, he collapsed on the track in a state of disorientation. Officials helped him up and pointed him towards the finishing line which, after falling four more times, he eventually crossed in first place. The last 350 metres of the race had taken him 10 minutes to complete. The American athlete Johnny Hayes finished second and the US team registered a protest at the assistance Pietri had received from the officials. Their protest was upheld and the Italian was disqualified. A print from Olympia 1936, Die Olympischen Spiele 1936, Volume I, Cigaretten-Bilderdienst, Hamburg, 1936.