Dorando Pietri

(1885-1942)

Dorando Pietri, also incorrectly known as Dorando Petri, was born in Villa Mandrio, a hamlet of Correggio, in 1885 and grew up in a rural setting in Emilia, which shaped his early years and upbringing.
It was in Correggio that his extraordinary story began, before his family moved to Carpi, where his talent for running began to emerge.

Dorando Pietri’s name became legendary after the 1908 London Olympic marathon, when he entered the stadium exhausted and staggering.
He was helped by the race officials to cross the finish line first, but was subsequently disqualified because of this external assistance.
Despite losing the gold medal, his suffering made him a universal symbol of tenacity and endurance, and Queen Alexandra presented him with a silver cup as a token of admiration.

Today, Correggio proudly preserves this legacy: the name of Dorando Pietri is present in the city’s urban and sporting landscape, where sports facilities and initiatives pay tribute to him.
The athletics track and sports hall named after him bear witness to how his legend lives on, transforming his personal story into a defining feature of the local identity.