Michel THEATO

For a long time, Josy Barthel was considered Luxembourg's first Olympic Champion, but 52 years before his title, Michel Théato won the Olympic marathon. As he represented a French club, it had always been assumed he was French. However, Luxembourgish sport historians discovered that he was born in Luxembourg. Although he moved to Paris and lived there until his death in 1923, he never filed for French citizenship. Théato is often listed as a baker's delivery boy, who knew his way through the streets of Paris and took a short cut to the Olympic gold. No proof of this exists, and Théato was in fact a carpenter.

Personal Best: Mar – 2-42:44 (1901).