Dorando Pietri

Dorando Pietri was born in Correggio, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and worked as a confectioner's apprentice in Carpi. Standing just 5 feet 2 inches tall, Pietri possessed remarkable natural stamina, taking up distance running in 1904. In 1906, he won the Italian marathon championship and earned qualification for the 1908 Olympic Games in London.

On 24 July 1908, the Olympic marathon started at Windsor Castle and finished at White City Stadium—establishing the modern standard marathon distance of 26 miles, 385 yards (42.195 km) at the request of the British Royal Family. In oppressive heat, Pietri moved through the field, taking the lead with two miles remaining.

Entering White City Stadium before 75,000 roaring spectators, severe dehydration and exhaustion caused Pietri to become completely disoriented. He turned the wrong way before officials redirected him; he collapsed to the cinder track five times in the final 350 meters. Moved by his desperate courage, British chief clerk of the course Jack Andrew and race medical director Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle assisted Pietri over the finish line in 2:54:46. Disqualified following an American protest on behalf of runner-up Johnny Hayes, Queen Alexandra was so moved that she personally presented Pietri with a silver cup the following day, sparking global marathon fever.