Marathon, Men

With the world recovering from the effects of World War II, it was difficult to choose a favorite in 1948. Finland’s Viljo Heino was to make his marathon début at London, and as the world-record holder at 10,000 metres and in the one-hour run, he was considered someone to watch. The London organizers chose to not to run over the point-to-point course used for the 1908 Olympics, which had established the standard marathon distance of 42.195 km. (26 miles, 385 yards). Instead, the race started and finished at Wembley Stadium, looping thru the London suburbs.

Raceday was cloudy and humid, with some wind, with the event starting at 3 PM. The immediate lead was taken by the Belgian Étienne Gailly in his marathon début. He held the lead almost the entire race, but was passed briefly at about 35 km. by the Korean, Choi Yoon-Chil. However, Gailly regained the lead quickly and held it as he entered Wembley Stadium. Unfortunately, he had given all he had to that point. He was wobbling and stumbling along the track, evoking memories of Dorando Pietri in 1908. On the track he was passed first by Argentina’s Delfo Cabrera, who had run a steady pace moving up throughout, and then by Britain’s Tom Richards. Cabrera won the gold medal, with Richards second. Gailly was able to finish the race, and held on for a bronze medal. He had never gone beyond 18 miles in training but before the race said “If I am still standing at the finish I will have won a medal”. Gailly did both but only barely.

The following morning at 7.30 am Richards was back at his work as a psychiatric nurse at a hospital around 15 miles from the stadium.