3,000 metres Race Walk, Men

Ugo Frigerio of Italy was a heavy favorite. He had already demolished the field in the 10,000 metre walk. He led the entire race and was not challenged. Prior to the race he handed several pages of sheet music to the band conductor, who was in the infield. Frigerio had chosen the music he wished to hear during the race. Sandor Barcs noted, “If the orchestra was not playing in the right tempo, Ugo would then turn off in front of them, and seriously reproach the conductor. He reacted smilingly to the shouts of the audience, and began discussions with an occasional spectator, if that sort of thing can be termed a discussion. Finally, the spectators came to like him to such an extent they began to cheer him. If, when he passed the biggest stand, the spectators for some reason forgot to cheer him, he himself called out ‘Evviva! Evviva!’”