Dorando's Arrival at the Stadium

Picture postcard of the Marathon runner, Dorando Pietri as he arrived in the Olympic Stadium.

Dorando was the first athlete to enter the White City Stadium in the final stages of the Olympic Games Marathon of 1908. Dazed and disorientated by the gruelling race Dorando headed in the wrong direction. Although redirected by officials his legs repeatly buckled beneath him but, on each occasion was helped to his feet. As the American runner John Hayes ran into the stadium officials lifted Dorando once more and helped him across the finish line. He was disqualified for receiving outside aid, but his courage made him a hero with the British public. As he, himself, wrote 'I am not the marathon winner. Instead, as the English say, I am the one who won and lost victory'. The day following the race Dorando was personally awarded with a silver cup by Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, in a special ceremony.