The story of one Irishman and the strangest race in Olympic history

On this day 120 years ago, Great Britain added a silver medal to their Olympic haul – but that came via Galway man John Daly who finished second in the steeplechase event.

With Irish entries not appearing until the 1924 Olympics in Paris, Daly's silver in St Louis – and the gold medal claimed by Tipperary’s Tom Kiely for all-around athletics – is part of Team GB’s tally given there was no possibility of operating under the Ireland banner at the time.

"John J Daly made his debut in the arena of American athletics and, undoubtedly, his maiden essay was one worthy of himself and his country," reported the Tuam Herald on 3 September 1904.

While gold trumps silver, and any medal is noteworthy, it was Daly rather than Kiely who has links to one of the most infamous events in Olympic history.

John J, as he was often known, was a listed entry in the 1904 Olympic marathon in Missouri – a race simply absurd from start to finish.

And it was right from the very start with eight of the 40 athletes, Daly included, opting not to partake.

With the event due to take place a day after his steeplechase success, it would be fair to assume that the conditions facing the athletes may have contributed to his U-turn, however, it seems that illness – including the sea sickness he suffered en-route to America – was mostly responsible.

"I felt indisposed the day the marathon race was held," he said in a self-penned article in the Tuam Herald in December 1904.

The official Games website describes the marathon as "the strangest race in Olympic history" and if you think that is hyperbole, read on.

One runner, Cuba’s Andarín Carvajal, came to the start line in long trousers, a white shirt and walking shoes – an indication that not all were aware of what lay in