The 1908 Olympic Games in London
wasn't all afternoon tea and crumpets.
It was a controversial and often unhappy Games,
with tensions simmering between the British and American teams.
The hosts managed to offend
their cross-Atlantic guests with
a series of controversial judging decisions.
In the 400 metres race, Wyndham Halswelle of Great Britain
took on three Americans.
Whilst attempting to overtake on the outside,
Halswelle was pushed wide and stopped from taking the lead.
The British officials called foul
and ripped the finishing tape,
hoping to void the race.
The following day, a re-run
would take place, with Carpenter
disqualified and the other two Americans
withdrawing in protest.
Funnily enough, Halswelle won the race.
The marathon promised to rise above the ill-feeling
and display an epic battle of wills.
The 42.2km from Windsor Castle to White City Stadium
would eventually exceed all the hype,
with unimaginable drama and even greater controversy.
With the home crowd turning out in great numbers,
British runners
could be excused for feeling under pressure to perform well.
They headed off at an incredible pace.
Scotland's Thomas Jack led for the first five miles -
clocking the quickest start to a marathon in history.
He soon tired.
Fred Lord and Jack Price took over -
Lord falling behind after ten miles.
It's worth pointing out that the understanding of nutrition
and fitness in the early 1900s
was not advanced compared to today.
Some believed that chugging down huge amounts of coffee
was the best preparation.
Others didn't want to be weighed down with water,
so dehydration was a big issue.
At the 18-mile mark, Italy's Dorando Pietri
and Charles Hefferon
of South Africa were comfortably ahead of the pack.
Hefferon was leading by 3'52" at mile 20.
After a tough battle in the afternoon sun,
the runners were finally just two miles from the stadium.
Once at the White City track,
runners would have to circle the track for 385 yards
to finish in front of Queen Alexandra's Royal box.
However, Hefferon accepted some champagne from a bystander.
He hoped it would invigorate him -
this was well before people knew
that alcohol is dehydrating
and the bubbles aren't fun balls of energy.
This, combined with well-meaning slaps on the back
from the crowd,
sapped the South African's energy
allowing Dorando to pass.
The news reached the stadium with some surprise.
All eyes were on the entrance,
and Dorando arrived at the stadium first.
The journey was nearly complete for the young Italian,
whose athletic career had started
in strange circumstances.
In September 1904,
the most famous Italian runner of the time,
Pericle Pagliani, took part in a race in Carpi.
Legend has it, local pastry shop assistant Dorando Pietri
was attracted by the event and, still wearing his work clothes,
ran to the finish ahead of Pagliani.
He was hooked!
Four years later, all was not well with Dorando.
As he came into the stadium,
it was as if he had been sipping champagne,
not Hefferon.
He was dazed and confused
and headed off in the wrong direction.
With the finish line beckoning, Dorando fell.
The clerk and chief medical officer,
both wanting Dorando to avoid death in front of the queen,
were on hand to give him some help.
He got back on his feet, but fell a further four times.
American Johnny Hayes appeared in the stadium,
to an eruption from the American contingent.
He was swiftly gaining on the weary Italian.
Eventually, like a zombie,
Dorando was helped over the line
and caught as he fell through the tape.
A hero was born.
Johnny Hayes and his team protested
about the aid Dorando had
received to get over the line.
The Italian was promptly disqualified and the gold was
awarded to Hayes, who had crossed the line second.
At the award ceremony,
he received his hefty trophy from Queen Alexandra,
and was swiftly hoisted by his team mates onto a table
to proudly display America's marathon achievement.
Charles Hefferon was upgraded to second place,
and would later honour his love for the sport
by naming his son Marathon.
Incidentally, just to add to the weird,
the whole race was written up in the British tabloids
by Arthur Conan Doyle - author of the Sherlock Holmes novels.
But it was the unknown Italian, Dorando Pietri,
who became the iconic figure of this bizarre race.
He was recognised by the Queen
in his own personal award ceremony.
He received a grand trophy for his Olympic spirit,
and for not dying in front of royalty.
But topping all the accolades and riches that followed,
he had a road in London named after him.
And that's much better than a gold medal.
Well, probably.