The marathon is one of the most iconic events in athletics. It is the event that usually ends the programme and captivates the most spectators. And the Olympic programme is no exception. The modern Olympic Games began in 1896 and the marathon has existed ever since. Even so, the current 42.195 km were not always covered and There are even those who argue about the origin of the first modern Olympic marathon race.
The 1908 London Games are considered the first event in which the marathon was run over the traditional distance. However, some say that the calculations were wrong and only in Paris 1924 the race was run over 42.195 km. Let’s take it one step at a time. 116 years ago, the Italian Dorando Pietri, aged 22, was the first to cross the finish line, but he was disqualified because he fell five times and was helped by spectators on all five occasions.
Thus, the American Johnny Hayes took first place, although Pietri’s determination and strength made him a celebrity, to the point that Queen Alexandra offered him a trophy and Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, raised 300 pounds (about 48,000 euros today). In the end, That day marked the history of athletics and the Olympic Games.
However, about a century later, John Bryant, former editor of the Daily Telegraph, shared that the 1908 route did not contain 42.195 km after all, relying on “contemporary maps, photographs and 21st century methods” to conclude that the distance was miscalculated. The measurer was John Disley, co-founder of the London Marathon, who He considered that the discrepancy could have been caused by the departure, at Windsor Castle, which at the last moment moved from Long Walk to Eastern Terrace.
The news reached Joe Neanor, a former official, who was left shaken, The Guardian reveals. “As a marathon runner, I was devastated. I thought: ‘We’re running this distance and it’s a lie,’” he said. From then on, a four-year battle began to prove Disley wrong. The first 700 metres were run at Windsor Castle, But no one knew where the start had been. The official report stated, vaguely, that “the race starts at Windsor Castle, near East Terrace, 700 metres from the Victoria Memorial.”
Neanor began to investigate and, after countless searches, found a panoramic photograph from the Illustrated London News showing the athletes at the starting line. “It is the only photograph that brings together these two elements in a single image. And it only exists thanks to the two children behind it, Princess Mary and the future George VI, the grandfather of our King Charles,” he confided. From there, he asked for help from Hugh Jones, winner of the 1989 London Marathon and currently a distance measurer for the marathon routes.
24 July 1908: Fifty-six runners start the London Marathon from Windsor Castle as part of the London Olympic Games. Good luck to all competitors at the upcoming Paris games. @mirror #Paris2024 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/R3Jh9Dik6F
– John Mead (@TMArchivist) July 24, 2024
However, another problem arose: Windsor Castle belongs to the British crown, so the two men were not allowed to enter. They therefore asked King Charles for permission, who readily agreed. According to a castle spokesman, “the King gave his approval and expressed his interest in the final result.” One rainy day, Neanor put his theory to the test, supported by Jones’ measuring bicycle and Colonel Duncan Dewar. After measuring the distances from the monument to Wicket Gate (261 metres) and from there to East Terrace, Jones concluded that the first 700 meters of the 1908 marathon were accurately measured, proving Neanor right.
The moment was captured in a photograph and a handshake between Jones and Neanor. For now, Windsor Castle is known to be considering recognising the work of the two researchers. “We are looking into the possibility of marking the starting position for future reference. But so far nothing has been agreed,” a castle spokesman told The Guardian.
Source: Observadora
