Emil Zátopek - Prague, Czech Republic
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vraatja
N 50° 05.952 E 014° 29.756
33U E 463949 N 5549781
Famous Czech long-distance runner, holder of four Olympic gold medals ,widely considered as one of the greatest runners of the 20th century, in front of HQ of Czech Lottery Corporation "Sazka" in Prague.
Waymark Code: WMB360
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 03/29/2011
Published By: 3am
Views: 126
The statue was made by Jaroslav Brož and it is placed in front of HQ of Czech Lottery Corporation "Sazka" in Prague.
Emil Zátopek (Sept 19, 1922 – Nov 22, 2000) was a Czech long-distance runner best known for winning three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He won gold in the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres runs, but his final medal came when he decided at the last minute to compete in the first marathon of his life. He was nicknamed the "Czech Locomotive" for his multiple golds. Zátopek was the first athlete to break the 29-minute barrier in the 10 km run (in 1954). Three years earlier, in 1951, he had broken the hour for running 20 km. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest runners of the 20th century and was also known for his brutally tough training methods.
A hero in his native country, Zátopek was an influential figure in the Communist Party. However, he supported the party's democratic wing, and after the Prague Spring, he was removed from all important positions and forced to work in a uranium mine as punishment. On the 9th of March 1990, Zátopek was rehabilitated by Václav Havel. Zátopek died in Prague, after a long illness, in 2000 at the age of 78. He was awarded the Pierre de Coubertin medal posthumously in December 2000. Zatopek is the only Olympic athlete whose statue appears at the Musée Olympique in Lausanne.
Cited from Wikipedia
URL of the statue: Not listed
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