The Fourth Olympiad London 1908 (extracts)

The crucial point of this long and desperate strug~le arrived when Dorando came in sight of Hefferon in Old Oak Common Lane. For the whole of the previous twenty-four miles the route had been more or less lined with spectators, whose ranks thickened as the race passe<l through towns and villages until the road had all the aspect of the Thames on Boat Race day. The crowd was enthusiastic, but orderly, and it was in response to a tremendous outburst of cheering from the huge throngs of spectators that Dorando made the fatal spurt which took him past Hefferon before they reached Wormwood crubs. oon afterwards, Hayes passed the outh African as well. Dorando's premature effort bad so exhausted him that he could scarcely reach the entrance of the Stadium, where nearly a hundred thousand spectators were awaiting his arrival, having only heard, from the last telegraphic bulletin posted up in the arena, that a South African was ahead and an Italian second. The pages of an official Report are not the place to go too much into detail as to the finish of this race- a finish as unexpected as it was distressing. Dorando was almost unconscious when he reached the cinder path, and turned to his right instead of his left. The slope from the archway was apparently the final stroke. He collaps d upon the track. As it was impossible to leave him there, for it looked as if be might die in the very presence of the Queen and that enormous crowd, the doctors and attendants rushed to his assistance. When he was slightly resuscitated the excitement of his compatriots was so intense that the officials did not put him on an ambulance and send him out, as they would no doubt have done under less agitating circumstances. The first fall and the first assistance rendered had, if it had been only realised, disqualified the Italian for the prize. But there was a generous idea in the heart of nearly every spectator that one who had suffered so much should not be dis– appointed of the finish he had so nearly reached. That idea, for the moment, dominated everything else until Dorando had staggered past the tape, followed not long afterwards by a runner who was recognised to be Hayes by the number and the American badge upon his breast. The objectiun to Dorando lodged by the American officials was upheld, and the race was finally given to Hayes after a discussion which took some time owing to the number of witnesses examined and the conflicting nature of much of the evidence. Meanwhile, Dorando lay between life and death for two hours and a half. The tiding that Her Maje ty the Queen had given him a Gold Cup, as a tok .n of her gracious ympathy with the courage she had watched, was the first thing that turned the scale in the Italian's favour. His heart had been more than half an inch displaced, but by the next morning he looked as well as ever.