Editing 1908 Summer Olympics (section)

== Background ==
There were four bids for the 1908 Summer Olympics. [[Rome]] was selected ahead of [[London]], [[Berlin]] and [[Milan]]. The selection was made at the 6th IOC Session in London in 1904.<ref name=votes>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesbids.com/english/archives/past.shtml |title=Past Olympic Host City Election Results |publisher=[[GamesBids]] |access-date=17 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124022022/http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/past.html |archive-date=24 January 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Italy|Italian]] authorities were preparing to stage the games when [[Mount Vesuvius]] erupted on 7 April 1906, devastating the city of [[Naples]]. Funds were diverted to the reconstruction of Naples, so a new host country was required. London was selected for the first time to hold the Games, which were held at [[White City, London|White City]] alongside the [[Franco-British Exhibition]], at the time the more noteworthy event.

The [[White City Stadium]], built in short time for the Games, held 68,000 people, with full crowds turning up to watch the events. The stadium track was three laps to the mile (536.448 metres per lap), as the current standard of 400 metres did not exist until 1962, with a pool (for swimming and diving events) and platforms (for wrestling and gymnastics) in the centre field.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Mallon |first1=Bill |last2=Buchanan |first2=Ian |url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll16/id/16 |title=The 1908 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary |via=[[LA84 Foundation]] |year=2000 |page=5 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-0598-5}}</ref>

The distance from the start of the [[Marathon (sport)|marathon]] to the finish at the stadium was established at these Games: the original distance of 25 miles was changed to 26 miles so the marathon could start at [[Windsor Castle]] and then changed again at the request of [[Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood|Princess Mary]] so the start would be beneath the windows of the Royal Nursery.<ref name="The modern Olympics: an overview">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/2.720/first-appearance-for-flags-at-olympic-opening-ceremony-1.770576 |title =  First appearance for flags at Olympic opening ceremony |access-date = 30 June 2008| publisher=[[CBC Sports]] | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603133905/http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/history/story/2008/04/29/f-olympics-1908.html| archive-date= 3 June 2008 | url-status=live}}</ref> To ensure that the race would finish in front of the King, the finish line was moved by British officials who "felt compelled to restore the importance of the monarchy." As a result of these changes, the marathon covered a distance of 26 miles and 385 yards (42.195&nbsp;km), which became the standard length starting with the [[1924 Summer Olympics]].<ref>Rhonda Jolly (3 June 2008). {{cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/RP/2007-08/08rp32.pdf |title=The modern Olympics: an overview |access-date=30 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318000330/http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/RP/2007-08/08rp32.pdf |archive-date=18 March 2009 }}. Department of Parliamentary Services. p. 9.</ref>