German Silva

As told by Jon Beach:

"German Silva is best known for his much-photographed 1994 New York City Marathon where he took a wrong turn with less than a half mile remaining.

While shouts from the crowd led him back on course, he burst into first place, beating countryman Benjamin Paredes by two seconds. Silva returned to the Big Apple the next year to win the marathon again. German Silva and Tegla Loroupe both won back-to-back New York Marathons in ’94 and ’95. That fact, along with their charisma, has earned them legendary status. Race Director Allan Steinfeld once introduced the pair as "two wonderful kids who lit up New York and electrified the world."
Other claims to fame: Silva recorded his best personal marathon time of 2:09:18 in London in 1994, claimed fourth at Boston in 1997, and placed sixth in the Summer Olympic Games Marathon in Atlanta."