1904: The triumph of two scammers
The men's marathon at the St. Louis Olympics can rightfully be considered one of the most scandalous in the history of sports. In this race, a winner was recorded twice, one of which, for the sake of gold, ventured the most ridiculous scam that could only be invented, and the second did not hesitate to take dope right at a distance.
One of the participants in the marathon was New York mason Fred Lorz. After the start of the race, he quickly took the lead and led the race for 14 km, but then stopped and retired. It was possible to understand Lorz - there was a terrible heat, and the race passed along an unpaved dusty road. Many participants did not have enough strength to reach the finish line, and William Garcia almost died in the race - after he was found lying on the road, he fought for life in the hospital for another week.
Getting to the city was far away, and his coach came to the rescue of Lors. He threw a tired athlete in a car, and a few kilometers before the finish line he decided to return to the distance. Of course, Lorz was ahead of everyone and crossed the finish line at the stadium under the ovation of fans, among whom was the daughter of US President Theodore Roosevelt Alice. She handed the champion an olive branch, but did not manage to give the gold medal.
Lorse nevertheless admitted that he drove part of the way by car. The athlete told the judges that he just wanted to make a joke, but they clearly were not laughing. Lorz was immediately disqualified, and the U.S. Amateur Athletic Union lifted the runner out of the competition for life (however, the punishment did not last long - Lorz was quickly forgiven, taking into account his repentance, and already in 1905 he won the Boston marathon).
Soon after Lorz’s recognition, a real winner appeared at the stadium, honestly overcoming the entire distance. In contrast with Lors full of energy, he was Tom Hicks barely moving his legs. Moreover, in our days he would have been proclaimed the same fraudster as Lorz. Hicks also had a hard time during the race, but his team offered him another type of help - they gave him a small dose of strychnine with raw eggs. For a while, Hicks perked up and was in the lead for several kilometers, but then again drooped. Then he was again given strychnine, this time with brandy. Hicks managed to get to the finish line, but not by running, but practically on foot - in addition to the substance that is nowadays considered doping, not too hardy opponents brought him victory.
1908: Drama at the finish
Four years later, the American runner won the marathon again, but at the same time he also failed to cross the finish line first. In 1908, the Olympics were held in London, and the race for the longest distance became one of the most anticipated events of the Games. It started near Windsor Castle and ended at the royal box of the White City Stadium. The exact length of the distance was 42 kilometers 195 meters - later it was taken as the reference for the marathon.
During the race, the three main contenders for medals were determined. After the 32nd kilometer, South African Charles Hefferon, American John Hayes and Italian Dorando Pietri were in the lead. Shortly before the finish, Pietri took a desperate jerk to break away from competitors, and got his way, but he had to pay a high price. Towards the finish line, the forces began to quickly leave the Italian, and a real drama unfolded at the stadium.
Pietri had to run a few hundred meters along the paths of the White City, but he himself could not do this. The disoriented runner first turned in the wrong direction, and then fell several times. Each time, judges, doctors, and spectators who managed to get closer came to his rescue. With great difficulty and largely thanks to someone else's help, Pietri still crossed the finish line - it took him 10 minutes to overcome the last 350 meters. 32 seconds after him, Hayes finished.
The American side immediately filed a protest, as Pietri even helped race director Jack Andrew. The judiciary, all made up of Britons, upheld the complaint, and Haze was declared a champion in the presence of 75 thousand spectators and the royal family, but the American remained in the shadow of Pietri, whose will to win impressed the fans much more.
The next day, the Italian received a commemorative silver cup from the hands of Queen Alexandra, wife of Edward VII. It is believed that since then the marathon has gained real popularity in the world and has become an integral part of the sport.
1972: Cruel Prank
It's hard to believe, but the next American runner, who won Olympic gold in a marathon, also could not fully enjoy his triumph. Before the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, American Frank Shorter was the undisputed favorite of the race. By an amazing coincidence, he was planning to win gold in his hometown - he was born in the capital of Bavaria when his father served in the army there.
Nobody really could compete with Shorter. After the 15th kilometer, he took the lead and fled alone to the Olympic stadium, where he was to be met by an enthusiastic crowd of fans. However, he did not finish the lap in the atmosphere that should accompany the winner.
The fact is that a few minutes before the appearance of Shorter, an impostor made his way to the distance of the marathon. Local student Norbert Südhaus decided to play everyone and run the last meters of the distance in the form of a West German athlete, pretending to be the winner of the race. Südhaus managed to carry out his plan - he appeared at the stadium before Shorter and tore the applause of the fans who did not immediately understand what was happening. The judges were also confused - they did not immediately figure out the provocateur and allowed him to run to the finish line. Only after some time, the guard stopped Südhaus.
As a result, Shorter did not receive the reception that he deserved by right. His appearance was accompanied by a roar of discontent, which was addressed to the pranker. However, the athlete himself was confident in his victory and therefore did not give the appearance that something had gone wrong, confidently overcoming the last meters of the distance. Shorter became the third US runner to win Olympic gold in a marathon, but remained in the shadows.