In 1954, Zátopek was the first runner to break the 29-minute barrier in the 10,000 metres. Three years earlier in 1951, he had broken the hour for running 20 km. He was considered one of the greatest runners of the 20th century and was also known for his brutally tough training methods. He popularisedinterval training afterWorld War II.[3]
In February 2013, the editors atRunner's World selected him as the Greatest Runner of All Time.[4] He is the only person to win the 5,000 metres (24 July 1952), 10,000 metres (20 July 1952) and Marathon (27 July 1952), in the same Olympic Games.[5][6][7]
Zátopek was born inKopřivnice as the seventh child in a family of modest means. Aged 16, he began working at theBaťa[1] shoe factory inZlín. Zátopek recalled that "One day, the factory sports coach, who was very strict, pointed at four boys, including me, and ordered us to run in a race. I protested that I was weak and not fit to run, but the coach sent me for a physical examination, and the doctor said that I was perfectly well. So I had to run, and when I got started, I felt I wanted to win. But I only came in second. That was the way it started."[8] Zátopek finished second in a field of 100. After that, he took up a serious interest in running. He joined a local athletic club where he developed his own training program modeled on what he had read about the greatFinnish OlympianPaavo Nurmi.[9]
A mere four years later, in 1944, Zátopek broke the Czechoslovak records for 2,000, 3,000 and 5,000 metres. At the end of the war, he joined theCzechoslovak Army, where he was gradually given more time for his gruelling training regimen.[9]
Zátopek was selected for the Czechoslovak national team for the1946 European Championships inOslo and finished fifth in the 5,000 m in 14:25.8, breaking his own Czechoslovak record of 14:50.2. At the1948 Summer Olympics in London, Zátopek won the 10,000 m and finished second behindGaston Reiff fromBelgium during a driving rainstorm in the 5,000 m.[10]
Zátopek displaying his trademark expression of pain (1951).
The following year, Zátopek broke the10,000 m world record twice, and went on to better his own record three times over the next four seasons. He also set records in the 5,000 m (1954), 20,000 m (twice in 1951),one-hour run (twice in 1951), 25,000 m (1952 and 1955), and 30,000 m (1952). He won the 5,000 m and 10,000 m at the 1950 European Championships and the 10,000 m at the next European Championships, ahead ofJozsef Kovacs andFrank Sando.[11]
At the1952 Summer Olympics inHelsinki, Zátopek won gold in the 5,000 m, 10,000 m, and the marathon, breaking Olympic records in each event. Zátopek is the only person to win these three long-distance events in the same Olympic Games. His victory in the 5,000 m came after a ferocious last lap in 57.5 seconds, during which he went from fourth place to first in the final turn, passing firstAlain Mimoun of France, then Herbert Schade of West Germany, and finally Chris Chataway of Great Britain. Zátopek's final medal came when he decided at the last minute to compete in themarathon for the first time in his life, and won. His strategy for the marathon was simple: he raced alongsideJim Peters, the British world-record holder. After a punishing first fifteen kilometres, in which Peters knew he had overtaxed himself, Zátopek asked the Englishman what he thought of the race thus far. The astonished Peters told the Czech that the pace was "too slow," in an attempt to slip up Zátopek, at which point Zátopek simply accelerated. Peters did not finish, while Zátopek won the race and set an Olympic record. Zátopek, running in his first Marathon, beat second-placed Reinaldo Gorno (Argentina) by 2:01 minutes.[7][9]
Zátopek attempted to defend his marathon gold medal in 1956; however, he suffered a groin injury while training and was hospitalised for six weeks. He resumed training the day after leaving the hospital, but never quite regained his form. He finished sixth in the marathon,[9] which was won by his old rival and friendAlain Mimoun. Zátopek retired from competition in 1957.
Zátopek's running style was distinctive and very much at odds with what was considered to be an efficient style at the time. His head would often roll, face contorted with effort, while his torso swung from side to side.[12] He often wheezed and panted audibly while running, which earned him the nicknames of "Emil the Terrible" or the "Czech Locomotive". When asked about his tortured facial expressions, Zátopek is said to have replied that "It isn't gymnastics or figure skating, you know." In addition, he would train in any weather, including snow, and would often do so while wearing heavy work boots as opposed to special running shoes. He was always willing to advise other runners. One example he often gave was to be relaxed and to help ensure that while running, gently touch the tip of your thumb with the tip of your index or middle finger. Just making that slight contact would ensure that arms and shoulders remained relaxed.[11]
His wifeDana Zátopková (born the same day and year as her husband) won a gold medal in thejavelin throw at the 1952 Olympics, only a few moments after Emil's victory in the 5,000 m; she finished second at the 1960 Olympics. An example of the playful relationship between husband and wife came when Emil attempted to take some credit for his wife's Olympic victory at her press conference, claiming that it was his victory in the 5,000 m that had "inspired" her. Dana's indignant response was, "Really? Okay, go inspire some other girl and see ifshe throws a javelin fifty metres!"[13][14]
Zátopek was known for his friendly and gregarious personality and for his ability to speak six languages. He was regularly visited at his home in Prague by international athletes he had befriended at competitions. His British rivalGordon Pirie described his as "the merriest and gayest home I've been in".[9]
Emil and Dana were the witnesses at the wedding ceremony of Olympic gold medalistsOlga Fikotová andHarold Connolly in Prague in 1957. Emil had spoken to the Czechoslovak presidentAntonín Zápotocký to request help in getting national heroine Olga a permit to marry the American Connolly, at the height of theCold War. While it's not clear how much this helped, they unexpectedly received a permit a few days later.[15]
In 1966, Zátopek hosted the AustralianRon Clarke when he visited Prague for a race. Zátopek knew the bad luck that Clarke had faced; he held many middle-distance track and field world records and had attempted to join his idol in the record books, but had fallen short in winning an Olympic gold medal (he was beaten byBilly Mills in one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history). At the end of the visit, Zátopek gave one of his gold medals from the 1952 Olympics to Clarke.[1]
A hero in his native country, Zátopek was an influential figure in theCommunist Party. However, he supported the party's democratic wing and, after the 1968Prague Spring, he was stripped of his rank and expelled from the army and the party,[9] removed from all important positions and forced to work in a string of menial manual labour positions.
He gained employment in one of the few companies not discouraged from employing out-of-favour citizens. The company was "Stavební Geologie", and he was immediately put to work prospecting for natural resources around Bohemia, infrequently being able to visit his wife in Prague. His work in such a field gave rise to the rumour that he had been sent (as many before him were) to the uranium mine labour camps; however, the camps and the last of the mines had closed many years before. It is also rumoured that Zátopek had a short stint at refuse collection, but was let go as he was unable to complete a round without a horde of citizens insisting on helping him, though no evidence exists of this ever happening.
In 1977, after 5 years of working and living away from his wife and friends, Zátopek's spirit was broken, and the communist government, no longer deeming him a threat, allowed him back to Prague with the offer of a further humiliating and menial job in the ČSTV (Czechoslovak Union of Physical Education). As the only option to get back to Prague and his wife, Zátopek accepted the offer. Using his gift as a linguist, the ČSTV put him to work monitoring foreign publications for the latest developments in sports science and training techniques. It was a lowly job shuffling papers in a small office under Strahov Stadium. He dutifully served until his retirement in the early 1980s.
Zátopek died inPrague on 21 November 2000 at the age of 78, from the complications of astroke. His funeral at Prague'sNational Theatre was crowded with leading figures from the international sports world.[9]
Zátopek was awarded thePierre de Coubertin medal (the "True Spirit of Sportsmanship" medal) in 1975.[16] In 2012, he was named among the first twelve athletes to be inducted into theIAAF Hall of Fame.[17] A life-size bronze statue of Zátopek was unveiled at the Stadium of Youth in Zlín in September 2014.[18]
The 2021 filmZátopek focuses on his personal life and sports career.[19]
The most prestigious track race in Australia is named after him.[20]
French writerJean Echenoz published an updated biography of Zátopek titledCourir (Running).
A Bengali novel by Mati Nandi, Naran (নারান), mentioned him as the role model and motivation of the protagonist, a Bengali Hindu refugee from East Pakistan who relocated to Calcutta in 1947 to evade the religious onslaught and build up his life again from scratch.
The song "Czech Locomotive" by Australian psychedelic rock bandPond off of their album9 is about him.
British punk-rock bandZatopeks chose their name after Emil Zátopek.[21]
