Francisco Lázaro (athlete)
Francisco Lázaro (born January 21, 1891 - July 15, 1912 ) was a Portuguese marathon runner .
He was the first Portuguese marathon runner to take part in the Olympic Games for his country, namely the 1912 Games in Stockholm . Lázaro was also the flag bearer of the Portuguese team at the opening.
During his marathon, he collapsed at the 18 mile mark, was hospitalized, and died the next morning. At first it was suspected that he was dehydrated from the high levels of exertion and high temperatures of the day, but it was later found that he had rubbed wax all over his body to protect himself from the sun. This meant that his body could no longer sweat and the electrolyte balance was disturbed. He was the first athlete to die in a competition at the modern Olympics.
Five days after his death, a sports festival was held in his honor in the Olympic Stadium . A collection among the 23,000 spectators resulted in an amount of 14,000 crowns, which was given to the Lázaros family. In Lisbon which is in the district of Benfica Rua Francisco Lázaro named after him.
literature
- Volker Kluge : Summer Olympic Games. The Chronicle I. Athens 1896 - Berlin 1936. Sportverlag Berlin, Berlin 1997, ISBN 3-328-00715-6 (especially p. 361).
Web links
- ↑ http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1891/january_21_1891_63573.html
- ↑ http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1912/july_15_1912_74969.html
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lázaro, Francisco |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Portuguese marathon runner |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 21, 1891 |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 15, 1912 |
| Place of death | Stockholm , Sweden |