Carlo Airoldi
Carlo Airoldi (born September 21, 1869 in Origgio , † June 18, 1929 in Milan ) was an Italian marathon runner who is famous for his unsuccessful attempt to take part in the Olympic Games in 1896 . He had covered the way from Milan to Athens on foot.
Airoldi was born into a farming family in Origgio , near Saronno . He started out as a runner in athletic competitions in the Varese area .
In 1892 he won a race from Lecco to Milan, followed by a victory from Milan to Turin. He quickly became known and was one of the best marathon runners of his time. His greatest achievement was a victory in a race from Milan to Barcelona in September 1895, a competition in twelve stages, a total of 1,050 kilometers. This win earned him 2,000 pesetas.
The Olympic games
Airoldi wanted to take part in the Summer Olympics in Athens in 1896 and had a good chance of winning. However, he needed money to get to Athens.
He suggested to the director of the then famous La Bicicletta magazine that he travel cheaply and get the money for it from the magazine: He would walk through Austria , Turkey and Greece - an adventurous journey on which he had to cover 70 kilometers every day to get to Athens on time . The magazine should document all stages of the journey and help him to get the necessary information.
The magazine accepted, and his journey began. During the stage from Milan to Split , through Trieste and Fiume , there were no problems. Airoldi planned to walk on the Croatian coast and then through Kotor and Corfu . However, shortly before Dubrovnik , he fell and injured his hand, forcing him to stay in a tent for two days. He wasn't supposed to walk through Albania , so he embarked on an Austrian boat that took him to Patras . From there, for lack of roads, he ran along the railroad tracks to Athens.
However, after his 28-day trip, Airoldi was unable to participate in the marathon. He went to the royal palace to register for the games. There he was interviewed by the chairman of the Olympic Committee, who decided that the money Airoldi got for winning the race from Milan to Barcelona meant he was not an amateur. Therefore, he is not allowed to take part in the Olympic Games. Telegrams were sent from Italy, but it didn't help: Airoldi was not allowed to participate. Italy was outraged that the organizers would not allow a strong competitor to compete in a race that the Greeks were trying to win. Airoldi never accepted the decision and challenged Spyridon Louis , the winner of the marathon. However, this race never took place.
Later years
After returning home, Airoldi tried many times unsuccessfully to break Spyridon Louis' record. Then he ran on in Lombardy and Switzerland, where he married and later worked in Bern and Zurich. Eventually he moved to South America, but later returned to Europe.
Carlo Airoldi died in Milan on June 18, 1929.
bibliography
- Manuel Sgarella: La leggenda del maratoneta. Macchione Editore, Varese 2005, ISBN 8883402308 .
swell
- ↑ Giovanni Carniani: The 1896 Olympic Games ( Memento of 9 May 2006 at the Internet Archive )
Web links
- Review of Sgarella's book (Italian)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Airoldi, Carlo |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Italian marathon runner |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 21, 1869 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Origgio |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 18, 1929 |
| Place of death | Milan |