Manuel Dias

Manuel Dias was the only "red" athlete to participate in the 1936 Olympic Games.

When he headed to Berlin, Manuel Dias held the national marathon record (2h37min20s) achieved on 5th July 1936 and which had belonged to Francisco Lázaro since 1912.

On 9 August the marathon race took place, bringing together 56 participants. During the first half of the race, the Portuguese sprinter dominated the front of the group together with Argentinean Juan Carlos Zabala, the 1932 Olympic marathon champion. After 25 kilometres, the British and Japanese runners took the lead and occupied the podium.

Manuel Dias finished the race in 17th place, after 2h48min49s, 19 minutes and 30 seconds behind the 1st place. However, he was admired internationally, for having beaten “the best American, the best Belgian, the best Dane, the best German, the best Pole, and the best Swiss", "leaving behind world famous champions”.

This result is even more extraordinary since Manuel Dias ran the first part of the race wearing gym shoes, with very thin soles, which crumbled on the asphalt. By the middle of the course his feet were bleeding, and each step caused him an atrocious pain. Shortly afterwards and upon watching his pain, a spectator gave him his shoes. Although heavier, these shoes allowed Manuel Dias to regain his pace and, even with blistered feet, he crossed the finish line achieving an honourable classification.

Manuel Dias was a true Benfica fan who lived in the Mouraria neighbourhood and was a paperboy. Years later, he won a lottery prize which allowed him to fulfil a dream: founding a sports newspaper. Inviting a sports journalist and a physical education teacher to take on the role of newspaper director, they founded in 1949 the on-going Portuguese newspaper Record.