Dorando Pietri (1885- 1942) – Italy - & John Joseph Hayes (1886- 1965) – USA – the two rival “winners” of the 1908 Olympic Marathon. This was the first time the Marathon was run at the now official Olympic length of 26 miles 385 yards. Pietri was the first into the stadium with a three minute lead but exhausted, he stumbled and fell four times. John Hayes from New York, a member of the Irish American Athletic Club of that city, entered the stadium just as doctors were attending Pietri who had fallen yards from the finish line. In the excitement of the moment officials helped the Italian up and over the line. He was disqualified but British Queen Alexandra was so moved by his heroism that she presented Pietri with a special silver cup the next day at the official prize giving. The American team, unhappy at the attention being diverted on to the disqualified Italian, carried their winner Hayes around the stadium on a table.