A legend in atletikkens the world, resigned on Friday, the weather for the last time. Spydkasteren Dana Zátopková passed away 97 years old.
The Czech athlete belonged to his generation’s best spydkastere, and she reached to be both olympic and european champion in the discipline.
In 1952 she managed even to write the history. She was the wife of the legendary runner Emil Zátopek – The Czech locomotive – that at the games in Helsinki, won three gold medals on the 5000 metres, the 10,000 metres and the marathon (his first race at the distance).
The first on the 5000 meters, came just an hour before, that he might enjoy his wife win his gold medal with a throw of 50,47 metres. A good day in the family.
Dana Zátopková with the cast, which earned her the olympic gold at the games in Helsinki in 1952. Photo: RDB/ullstein bild via
Dana Zátopková was also european champion twice (1954 and 1948), before she at the OLYMPICS in Rome and won his last international medal when she was number two.
In 1958, she in a month and a half to be the holder of the world record, when she at home in Prague threw 55,73 meters – a more modest distance than compatriot Barbora Špotáková, who holds the current world record.
The sounds on the 72,28 metres – mind you set with skewers, there are substantially modified, so that they compared to the old spear have lost at least ten metres in-throw.
Dana Zátopková was to survive her husband by nearly 20 years – he died back in the year 2000.
mr and Mrs Dana Zátopková and Emil Zátopek in 1952. Photo: Keystone/
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