▁in ▁several ▁other ▁events ▁that ▁were ▁" hand ic ap " ▁races ▁and ▁not ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁IO C . ▁ ▁Or ton ▁had ▁to ▁give ▁up ▁either ▁time ▁or ▁distance ▁to ▁inferior ▁run ners ▁in ▁these ▁events , ▁having ▁been ▁sever ely ▁pun ished ▁by ▁the ▁hand ic apper ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁success ▁on ▁the ▁track . ▁ ▁He ▁won ▁a ▁bronze ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 0 0 m ▁hur d les ▁( the ▁last ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁water ▁jump ). ▁▁ 4 5 ▁minutes ▁later , ▁suffering ▁from ▁an ▁int est inal ▁virus , ▁Or ton ▁won ▁the ▁gold ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 5 0 0 m ▁ste e ple ch ase , ▁setting ▁a ▁world ▁record ▁of ▁ 7 : 3 4 . 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁day , ▁still ▁ill , ▁he ▁placed ▁fifth ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 0 0 0 m ▁ste e ple ch ase . ▁▁ ▁Un like ▁today , ▁the ▁early ▁Olympic ▁athlet es ▁did ▁not ▁represent ▁their ▁birth ▁country ▁at ▁these ▁compet itions . ▁ ▁National ity ▁was ▁un important . ▁They ▁ran ▁as ▁individuals , ▁or ▁members ▁of ▁a ▁university ▁deleg ation ▁or ▁athlet ic ▁club . ▁ ▁In cluding ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁a ▁country ▁alongside ▁a ▁compet itor ' s ▁name ▁did ▁not ▁begin ▁until ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁Olympics . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁IO C ▁retro act ively ▁added ▁a ▁national ity ▁alongside ▁the ▁names ▁of ▁previous ▁perform ers , ▁and ▁that