THE MARATHON.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 170, 19 July 1924, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MARATHON.

GREATEST RACE OF ALL. AFRICAN POLICEMAN SCORES. WHEN A WINNER WAS DISQUALIFIED. The "Blue Ribbon" event of all Olympic Games is undoubtedly the Marathon Kace. Mr. James E. Sullivan, American Olympic Commissioner to the 1012 Stockholm Olympiad, said:—"America would rather win the Marathon Race than any other three races on the programme." Of the seven contests of the modern series, America and Finland have won twice, while Greece, France and South Africa each has one win to its credit. What is a Marathon Race? How did it originate? And why its peculiar distance of 20 miles 383 yards? The distance alone would prompt the thought that the race was symbolical of some great event which was being perpetrated by the holding of a contest at tho Olympic Games. For its origin we must go back into ancient history, a little over 2400 years, 490 B.C. The" Greeks were at war with the Persians. At last, came a great Greek victory, and at. a. small village named Marathon the victorious general called for a volunteer to convey the glad tidings to the King, at Athens. A young Greek soldier. Pheidippides. was chosen, and he. ran up hills, down dales, and across country to the Stadium where, raising hi? hand, he cried: "All hail! The victory is ours," and fell down dead. i The distance from Marathon to the Stadium at Alliens was 2li miles 38"i yards. This, briefly. _ive? an idea ot? what in these clays is known as a Marathon race, and also the distance of it. At the same time, attempts have beeu made to eliminate the Marathon from Olympic programmes, particularly from j the 1920 Antwerp events. The argument was that the Marathon constituted in general a not. very sporting spectacle, owing to the distance of the race, and the exhausted condition of many of the competitors. Olympic Thrillers. The first of the modern Olympiads was held at Athens in 1596, and the Marathon event, to the great joy of the waiting multitude, was won Ivy a flreek runner, S. Loucs. His time being 2h 55m 20s. It is said the then Crown Prince Constaiitine, and Prince George. I had to carry Loves away to save him from injury in the demonstration of enthusiasm. Four years later, 1900, Paris was the venue, and again a representative of the promoting country won the race. He was M. Teato, and his running time war, 2h 59m 455. That was the only success France obtained throughout the meeting. T. J. Hicks (U.S.A.) also won for his country at tbe next Games, St. Louis CU.S.A".) in 1904. He took 3h 28m 53s to cover the distance. The next Marathon was the memorable race at London, 1908, Olympiad. It was in this that the Italian. Dorando Pietri, arrived first at the Stadium, Shepherd's Bush. Utterly exhausted, however, he could not traverse the dlistance round the course to the winning post, and in a state of complete collapse, was assisted by well-meaning friends to the finishing mark. The Italian may, or may not, have reached the tape unaided before the second man, J. J. Hayes (U.S.A.), got there. In the intense excitement people lost their heads and scarcely knew what was happening. However, Dorando was disqualified, and the race awarded to the American. His time was 2h 55m ISs. Won by Policeman. The 1912 Stockholm Olympiad followed and its Marathon was won by the IrishSouth "African, K. K. McArthur. South Africa had three men in the race, and two of them finished in first and second places, C. W. Gitsham coming in about one minute after his team-mate. McArthur's time was 2h 36m 54 4-ss. Tho winner was a South African policeman, fairly big and heavy. Almost the first words he uttered, after passing the winning post, to his admiring friends, were:—"Who said a big man could never win a Marathon?" The 1910 Berlin Games were abandoned, owing to the war, which then brings us to the meeting at Antwerp, in 1920. The Marathon hero there wa3 that wonderful, machine-like runner from Finland, Hannes Kolehainen, who made an Olympic Marathon record of 2k 32m 35 4-5 s. L. Lossman (Esthonia) was second; A. Valerio (Italy), third; A. Broos (Belgium), fourth; J. Tuomikoski (Finland), fifth; S. Rose (Denmark), sixth, and the first American to finish, J. L. Organ, seventh. Although given in each instance, the times, as a comparison, are valueless, as the distances of each race vary, also weather and road conditions may be favourable or otherwise. It might be mentioned that an unofficial Olympiad was held at Athens in 1906, where the Marathon was won by W. J. Sherring (Canada), in 2h 51m 23 3-ss. Of all the events on an Olympic Games progrmme the classic Marathon race is the most popular. It has each time been a great test of stamina which has appealed to the people of the country wherein it has been decided. Also, if proof be required of its popularity with the sporting nations of the world, it may be found by the representation in the 1912 Stockholm race. Taking part in the event were competitors ' from Australia, Austria, Bohemia. Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Greece. Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Servia, South Africa, Sweden and the United States.