Wembley on the Hill: "Be First at the Stadium!"
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Wembley on the hill: "Be first at the Stadium!" By Volker Kluge The tragic hero of It was on 7 August 1948, the last day of the Athletics the 1948 Olympic competitions in Wembley Stadium, when the Marathon Marathon, the Belgian was started at 3 p.m. It was not an easy course that paratrooper Étienne the 41 runners from 21 countries had to face in that Gailly, who competed sultry weather. The course led through the north-west in his first race over London suburbs, through streets with heavy traf- the full distance over fic, where the bad air was made worse by the stink of the difficult London petrol from the accompanying vehicles. From the third course. kilometre the course began a long uphill section. From Wembley it led over Kings bury crossroads, via Canon’s Park to Stanmore. From there via Dean’s Brook, Stirling Corner and The Barn as far as Elstree, where the highest point was reached at the crossroads – a constant alter- nation of uphills and downhills. Although Étienne Gailly until then had never contes- ted a Marathon – his longest competition had been 32.5 km4 – he went into the lead at 10 km, and kept it for over 20 km more. And that was to his own surpri- se: neither the Finn Viljo Heino, who had established Dorando Pietri was the tragic hero of the 1908 London world records between 1944 and 1946 over 10,000 m Olympic Games. He had been first across the line in and ten miles and was also making his Marathon debut the Marathon, but was disqualified for "accepting in London, nor the great British hope Jack Holden, was outside assistance", because two officials had helped to be seen at his side. "To find oneself suddenly in the the completely exhausted Italian over the last metres lead, though one has done nothing but run within by supporting him under the arms. In the last Journal schedule, is rather a shock", he explained later to Willy Clifford Goldfarb gave a detailed account of the story.1 Meisl, who was able to interview him for World Sports.5 The continuation of the drama, whose scenario was For a short time the Chinese runner Lou Wen Ngau clung reminiscent of the original, followed four decades later to his heels, "but soon I lost him and was alone. This at another London Olympics. The Marathon race, as was had not been my intention. Thinking it over, I came stated later in the Official Report, "was curiously reminis- to the conclusion that this early lead was not of my cent of the famous Dorando race of forty years before." 2 making. I was simply following my time-table, based The leading role was this time played by a Belgian, the on a total time of 2 hrs. 30 mins. I was not acting the 25 year old Étienne Gailly, who in a Swiss Olympic book runaway, the others were running more slowly than my is described as a "tragic figure" and of whom it was said coach and I had anticipated". 6 that "he will go down in the history of the 14th Games It was thus not the inexperience of a hothead, but rather not as victor but as vanquished."3 that the pace was dictated by the schedule of his coach 18 Marcel Alavoine, who himself had Marathon experience: was already too exhausted (much more than he himself at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris he had been 15th. with his undaunted spirit knew) to think clearly", His qualities as a coach were confirmed by the fact that wrote Meisl, who had seen him twice during the race alongside Gailly he also advised Gaston Reiff, who had and observed that the Belgian was checking his watch. won the gold medal in rainy London in a memorable "He looked almost green in the face, and when I saw 5000 m duel against the Czech Emil Zátopek. him again in the Stadium, I was certain only the whip of After 25 km Gailly already had a lead of 41 seconds over his unbending will had brought his body to endure so the Argentinian Eusebio Guinez. A desperate surge over much for so long." 10 the next section brought the Korean Choi Yoon Chil What for the reporter was a "wonderful race", is up to the front. He was a protégé of Sohn Kee Chung, however described in the Official Report as "Gailly’s who in 1936 under the Japanese name of Kitei Son had Gallant Failure". "Just about half-past five Gailly ente- achieved Marathon victory. "Is he travelling so fast, or red the Stadium, well-nigh exhausted and hardly able am I fading?" Gailly asked himself at that moment. to drag one foot after the other. Less than 500 yards "I had to admit to myself that my strength had left away was the Olympic Crown waiting to be grasped. me temporarily. I could only watch how fast Choi was Only just over a lap of the track to go, but he had running. Although I hated this tiredness, I was not un- covered nearly 26 miles. Hardly had he taken a dozen duly alarmed. I had been alone in the lead for 27 km: steps round the Wembley track, when another figure things looked not quite so good now but, after all, I felt entered – Cabrera of the Argentine, and it was plain that nothing more than a normal tiredness which I hoped he would have no difficulty in overhauling his gallant, to overcome soon." 7 Shortly after that Gailly’s view was but practically insensible, Belgian opponent." 11 confirmed, for after 35 km Choi fell rapidly back and In the 1948 Olympic film 12 Gailly can be seen looking soon dropped out – allegedly because of a foot injury.8 behind him as he enters the stadium. Heavy footed, he The last ten kilometres, which were the same as the ope- plods over the cinder track, and shortly before the line ning ten, were downhill and fast. After 39.5 km, when he slows to a walk, only to wearily start running again the Argentinian Delfo Cabrera led by five seconds from when the officials inside the arena signal to him that Gailly with the Welshman Tom Richards six seconds another lap remains. farther back, the last intermediate time was taken. He still has another 400 metres, which turn into a All the pre-race favourites were practically forgotten. martyrdom and during which 82,000 spectators suffer As in the 5000 and 10,000 m, Heino had to bury his with him. It is not a run but a "stepping on the spot" medal hopes. His compatriot Mikka Hietanen, the 1946 that Gailly performs "because his legs refuse to carry European champion in Oslo, had retired along with Jack him any more." 13 Several times he veers to the side, but Holden and the Swiss runner Hans Frischknecht, plagued in contrast to 1908 there are no over-eager helpers to by stomach cramps. The Canadian Gérard Côte, the lead him cross the line, so that Gailly still has the chance outstanding Marathon runner between 1940 and 1944, to finish the stressful race under his own steam. lay hopelessly far back. At the sight of the stadium Gailly It is a tragic sight as Gailly – without being able to offer mobilised his last strength. He overtook Cabrera and any resistance – has to let Cabrera past, Cabrera over quickly pulled ahead, so that his lead was soon extended whose normally grim face there flits an expression of to 50 or 60 metres. "There was apparently no room in his happiness. In an instant he had passed Gailly, who brain for any thought, but merciless command to nerves totters on in slow motion. "And once more an indescri- and muscle: 'Be first at the Stadium! First at the Stadium!' bable roar echoes round the stadium," to quote from a Wembley on the hill, was the goal, and no thought was second Swiss Oympic book. "The Englishman Richards given – understandably and even rightly – to the fact [Welshman – translator’s note] enters the arena, also that there was another lap to be run inside the arena", exhausted, but yet faster than Gailly, whom he over- as Meisl wrote.9 takes 200 m from the finish and leaves standing." 14 Gailly came up the last rise and stumbled into the After this torture the Belgian finally sinks across the stadium tunnel, but left it as a different person. "Gailly line and is carried away. At the victory ceremony the JOH 2 | 2012 Wembley on the hill: "Be first at the Stadium!" 19 severely affected by fatigue. I still don’t think I was really exhausted: it was my stomach which caused the real trouble. First Cabrera and then Richards passed me, as behind a veil. I was no longer fighting them, but that awful engulfing weakness, wanting more than anything to get to that unbelievably distant finishing line. I got there … somehow."16 Forty years after the London Games (and 17 years after Étienne Gailly’s death in an accident), I met his youngest son in Liege to find out whether the veil of which his father had spoken had later been lifted. But although Philippe Gailly had studied criminology, he had not totally succeeded in placing himself inside the mental life of his parent, whom he described as distin- guished, introverted and "very British".17 Once, he told me, they were on holiday in Wembley. At the sight of the stadium his father had confessed that he could recall almost nothing.