Johnny Hayes Englewood, New Jersey. The Shore Athletic Club of New Jersey (Shore AC) holds the Johnny Hayes collection as lifetime trustees. Included in the collection are numerous trophies as well as the 1908 Olympic gold medal for the marathon. This represents the first Olympic gold medal to be won at the modern marathon distance of 26 miles, 385 yards. Johnny Hayes was a guest on the television show "I've Got A Secret" as one of five former Olympic champions which aired October 13, 1954. Dorando Pietri Johnny Hayes John Joseph "Johnny" Hayes (April 10, 1886 – August 25, 1965) was an
Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon before the Games opened it was realised that the Royal Entrance could not be used as the marathon entrance—it was raised to permit easy descent by the royal party from their carriages, and did not open onto the track—so an alternative entrance was chosen, diagonally opposite the Royal Box. A special path was made from Du Cane Road running due south just east of the Franco British Exhibition ground so that the distance from Windsor to the stadium remained "about 26 miles". The finishing line was left unchanged, but in order that more of the spectators would have a good