It sounds like something from a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle story: the case of the royal family, an Italian confectioner, and one of the most dramatic moments in Olympic history. After 116 years, this mystery has finally been solved, thanks to a retired civil servant and King Charles.
The story begins with a dramatic moment from the 1908 London Olympic marathon. On July 24, 1908, the 22-year-old Italian runner Dorando Pietri was leading the race, only to collapse yards from the finish line. He fell five times and was helped up five times, eventually staggering over the finish line to the cheers of nearly 100,000 spectators at White City Stadium. Among the onlookers was Conan Doyle, who vividly described the scene in his writing. However, Pietri was disqualified for receiving outside assistance, and the American runner Johnny Hayes was declared the winner. Despite this, Pietri became an overnight celebrity, receiving a cup from Queen Alexandra and financial support from Conan Doyle.
That fateful day also marked the first time the Olympic marathon was run over the now-standard distance of 26 miles and 385 yards. Previously, the marathon distance was roughly 25 miles. However, a century later, former Daily Telegraph editor John Bryant revealed a surprising discovery: the 1908 course was remeasured using modern methods and found to be 174 yards (159 meters) short. This raised doubts about the accuracy of the famous distance.
John Disley, co-founder of the modern London Marathon, had initially measured the course and speculated that the discrepancy arose from a last-minute change in the starting position at Windsor Castle. This revelation left marathon runner and retired civil servant Joe Neanor shocked and determined to prove Disley wrong. Neanor embarked on a four-year quest, delving into newspaper and photographic archives, and finally discovered a crucial panoramic image in the Illustrated London News. This photograph, featuring the start of the race marked by the Crown Prince of Sweden and including Princess Mary and the future George VI, pinpointed the exact starting point.
Armed with this evidence, Neanor enlisted the help of Hugh Jones, a former London Marathon winner and professional marathon course measurer. However, measuring the course inside Windsor Castle required royal permission. Neanor wrote to King Charles, who graciously granted access. With the help of Jones and Windsor Castle superintendent Col Duncan Dewar, Neanor measured the disputed 700-yard section of the course. They confirmed that the initial measurement had indeed been accurate, validating the historic distance.
A handshake between Jones and Neanor marked the successful resolution of the mystery. Windsor Castle is now considering a permanent marker to commemorate the starting point of the 1908 marathon. Regardless of the outcome, Neanor’s detective work has reaffirmed that the 1908 London Olympic marathon was not only a historic spectacle but also accurately set the standard distance of 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195 kilometers) for future races.
