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. Purchase