Artefacts
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London 1948, shirt worn by Alain MIMOUN (FRA), 10,000m silver medallist.
Physical description
Short with embroidered emblem of the National Olympic Committee featuring the Gallic rooster on the chest.
Created
Materials
cotton, textile
Colors
multi coloured, blue
Dimension
59 x 40 cm
Literature
GOLDSTEIN, Richard. "Alain Mimoun, a Top Runner, Dies at 92". In: The New York Times, 30 June 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/sports/alain-mimoun-a-top-runner-dies-at-92.html ASKWITH, Richard. "Great Olympic Friendships: Alain Mimoun, Emil Zatopek and the day that friendship trumped victory". In: The Independent, 4 August 2016, http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/rio-2016-olympic-friendships-alain-mimoun-emil-zatopek-melbourne-1956-7166786.html
Type of item
Sport equipment -> jersey
Reference number
235627
Notes
Top worn by Alain MIMOUN (FRA), silver medallist in the 10,000m, London 1948
Alain MIMOUN's career will forever be associated with that of his great rival, Emile ZATOPEK (TCH). After finishing second behind the Czech at the Games in 1948 and 1952, he finally won gold in the marathon in 1956 in Melbourne.
London 1948, vest worn by Alain MIMOUN (FRA) and silver medal and diploma received for finishing second in the 10,000m.
Born in Algeria to a modest family, Alain Mimoun first represented France at the Olympic Games in 1948. In the 10,000m he finished second, behind Emil Zátopek. In
1952, he again came second in the 10,000m and, once more, it was Zátopek who claimed gold. Four days later, Mimoun clinched his third silver medal, this time in the
5,000m. The winner? Emil Zátopek. At the Olympic Games in 1956, Mimoun switched to the marathon… and came up against Zátopek in what was the latter’s final race.
This time, it was the Algerian who surged ahead into the lead. Just before the halfway point, he broke clear and went on to win by a margin of one-and-a-half minutes.
Mimoun waited at the finish line for his old friend, who came home in sixth place. “Emil,” Mimoun said to him, “it is I who won.” Zátopek took off his cap, saluted Mimoun and embraced him. “For me,” Mimoun would recall later, “that was better
than the medal.” Looking back over his Olympic races, the athlete observed: “I look at my career as a castle: my London silver medal is the foundation; my two Helsinki
silver medals are the walls; my gold medal in Melbourne, the roof”. These items have been added to our collection of Olympic sports material and medals and diplomas
awarded to athletes between 1940 and 1950, which are rare on the market.
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