Archive: Sport | The history of sports The history of sports
Emil Zátopek: a Czech sporting hero
The early 1950s in Czechoslovakia was a bleak period in the country’s
history, but there was also some escape from politics. In 1952 the Summer
Olympics were held in the Finnish capital Helsinki and the undisputed hero
of the games was the greatest Czech runner of all time, Emil Zátopek.
Despite his extraordinary style, with his face contorted, his head and
torso swinging, and emitting sounds that earned him the nickname of “the
Czech locomotive”, he went to Helsinki having already twice broken the
world record over 20 kilometres. His dream at the Olympics was to win two
gold medals: in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. Czechoslovak Radio’s Bohuš
Ujček and Vítězslav Mokroš were there to report on the event. More
Football star Josef Masopust and his army team
Czech footballing legend Josef Masopust marks his 80th birthday next week.
In this week’s Czech History, we look at his glittering career and the
mixed fortunes of the communist created army club, Dukla Prague, which he
loyally served for most of his playing career. More
Century of Czech ice hockey celebrated in Prague
Tuesday is a real red letter day for Czech sports fans, as a number of
special events are being held to mark the 100th anniversary of the
foundation of the Czech Ice Hockey Association. The celebrations include
the induction of dozens of people into the Czech hockey Hall of Fame, and
culminate with a friendly game between the Czech Republic and Slovakia in
Prague.
More
Emil Zátopek: a Czech sporting hero
The early 1950s in Czechoslovakia was a bleak period in the country’s
history, but there was also some escape from politics. In 1952 the Summer
Olympics were held in the Finnish capital Helsinki and the undisputed hero
of the games was the greatest Czech runner of all time, Emil Zátopek.
Despite his extraordinary style, with his face contorted, his head and
torso swinging, and emitting sounds that earned him the nickname of “the
Czech locomotive”, he went to Helsinki having already twice broken the
world record over 20 kilometres. His dream at the Olympics was to win two
gold medals: in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres. Czechoslovak Radio’s Bohuš
Ujček and Vítězslav Mokroš were there to report on the event.
More
Olga Fikotová-Connolly: 1956 Olympic champion dubbed “traitor” in communist Czechoslovakia over romance with US athlete
Olga Fikotová won gold in the discus at the Olympic Games in 1956, less
than two years after taking up the discipline. At the Olympics she met and
fell in love with an American athlete, Harold Connolly. Back home in
Czechoslovakia, their romance overshadowed her stunning success, with Olga
accused of being a traitor by the communist authorities. Marriage to Harold
spelled the end of her career as a Czechoslovak athlete, though she went on
to represent the US at four Olympic Games. Olga Fikotová-Connolly is our
guest in this special programme.
More
Antonin Panenka - the footballer Pele described as "either a genius or a madman"
On this day (20/6/1976) thirty one years ago, Czech footballer Antonin
Panenka wrote himself into football history books by scoring the decisive
goal for Czechoslovakia in a penalty shoot-out after the final of the
European Cup of Nations against West Germany ended in a draw. This goal was
undoubtedly one of the greatest moments in Czech sporting history and it
made Panenka a household name. In this edition of Czechs Today, we look at
the career of this great footballer and recall his stunning penalty kick,
which sealed Czechoslovakia's only ever victory in a major international
football tournament.
More
The Czech who won Wimbledon for Egypt
Though I would say I am reasonably familiar with Czech culture and history,
I must admit that I often have to scratch my head a bit - and consult the
internet - whenever we feature a new question in our Radio Prague monthly
quiz. The subject of the most recent competition - the remarkable
prize-winning tennis, ice hockey and football player Karel Kozeluh - was
certainly somebody I should have been familiar with, and I learned about
his amazing career with fascination.
More
A look back at Czech World Cup History
Your very own Czech Radio provided commentary for the 1934 World Cup final,
as Czechoslovakia went 1:0 up through a goal by Antonin Puc. Czechoslovakia
went on to lose that game - and also lost the only other final the country
appeared in, in 1962. With the current Czech team in Germany on the eve of
the 2006 finals, Michael Longaro looks back now at the country's history in
the competition.
More
Zdenek Marek - 1949 Ice Hockey World Champion who escaped to the West
Jan's guest in One on One is Zdenek Marek. Born in 1925 in the heart of
Moravia, in the town of Prostejov - Zdenek Marek made his fame in the late
1940s
playing ice hockey for some of Czechoslovakia's top teams, including
Sparta Prague. More importantly, he was a member of the national team that
won the 1949 World Championship in Sweden. The event changed his life. The
occasion allowed Marek to escape from Czechoslovakia - where the Iron
Curtain was descending - to start anew in the West. Jan spoke to Mr
Marek - now in his 80s - via phone to New York, and he told him about his
escape, as well as how, as a teenager, he first discovered hockey as a
sport. More
