EMIL ZATOPEK & GOLDEN SPIKE

Location: Městský Stadion, Závodní 2992/ 86D, 703 00 Ostrava-Vítkovice, Czechia , 703 00

 

Plaque awarded: 02/12/2018

 

Reason: Plaque Categories - Legend and Competition

Legend: Emil Zatopek (CZE)

• 4-time Olympic gold medallist;
• 2 world records 10,000m (29:28.2mins - 11/06/49 & 29:21.2mins – 22/10/49) set in Městský Stadion, Ostrava in 1949
• 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games – 4 gold, one silver
• 18 ratified world records

Born: Kopřivnice, Czech Republic, 19 September 1922
Died: Prague, Czech Republic, 22 November 2000

 

The charismatic Czech soldier, already known to his many fans as ‘The Human Locomotive’ for his relentlessly hard training and his success at the 1948 London Olympic Games where he won the 10,000m gold and 5000m silver, achieved a unique treble at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. He won the 5000m, 10,000m and marathon; a feat which had never been achieved before or since. Despite having never run a marathon before Zatopek came home over two-and-a-half-minutes in front of his nearest rival.

Competition: Golden Spike meeting, Ostrava