Life of Emil Zatopek

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjMBDO0Q5wo

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[Title: EMIL ZATOPEK AND VERA CASLAVSKA]

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[Title: Life of Emil Zatopek]

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[commentator] Gunshot! The final race has started. The best15 runners have started the battle to win the gold medals. Who will win this hard discipline? And the entire world is focusing on  Emil Zatopek. Top experts do not give him many chances.

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I worked in Zlin. I attended evening classes at the local industrial college. I spent the whole day at factory. Then one day a schoolmaster announced that on Sunday there is a race around Zlin. [01:11] [02:02] He said:” I am a sportsman and want everybody to run, unless somebody is ill.” I put my hand up to tell him that I wasn’t well. He asked me what was wrong with me. I told him I had a sore knee. [01:19] [02:10] That’s not an excuse, he said. A doctor came to check me and pronounced me OK. “Ah, malingerer, weakling! And go straight to the starting line!”

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In Zlin, where I started my running career, I saw everywhere public notices urging young people to join the army. They were announcing that our new army would be supporting cultural and sport developments. I liked the idea. It was like a training for the long runs. Marching, running, jumping with a heavy kit-bag. [01:53] [02:45] I thought to my self that would be good. Strengthening my body, etc. And suddenly I felt strange enthusiasm. I told my friends to go ahead and I would catch them up. And whoosh. [02:06] [02:56]I caught them up. But my schoolmaster wasn’t pleased. He rebuked me: ”Who allowed you to run fast! I replied: ”Nobody, but according to you I wouldn’t be allowed to win anything. I am faster than the others” [02:17 commentator] [03:10] Connecting honourable work duties of the soldier and sport activities is for Zatopek statutory. No wonder that he celebrated his promotion into the rank of lieutenant by notching a new 3 kilometres Czechoslovakian record  in Brno. His time was 8 minutes, 8 seconds, 2 tenths. [02:32] [03:24] I have a feeling that if one wants something than it can be achieved. But it needs to be rational. You cannot jump to the second floor just like that, but step by step you can reach the fifth floor. [02:47] [03:39] But your steps have to be realizable. It’s like someone would like to be a violin virtuoso. It does not happen in 1 or 2 days. It’s a long slog. All the preparations and training. And self-sacrifice.   

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The best is to enjoy everything, even hardship. One can plan a hard training. But if one can cope it gives one a huge satisfaction. Then he could even look forward to the next challenges.  It may require to clench teeth and try. [03:30 commentator] [04:42] And Zatopek made a famous victory 200 metres ahead of the second runner, French competitor Mimonu. [03:54] [04:47] He won in a style that never seen at the Olympic games before. [4:00 Zatopek] [04:52] I didn’t want to dishonour myself I tried to run as bestt as I could. When I couldn’t do it with a smile, then I clenched my teeth. Other athletes were horrified:” This is not athletics, that’s not the culture natural movements.[04:17] [05:09] “ If I did  ice-skating or gymnastics, I would be completely lost. It would be the first exercise, the second exercise, then long faces of umpires, no, that wouldn’t be for me. No chance! [04:32] [05:26] Among our record holders there was an athlete, his name was Stana Jungvirt. His dad was in jail. He may have been jailed for political reasons.[04:43] [05:35] This Stana was a member of the Olympic team. The evening before the departure to Helsinki he didn’t receive his air ticket. He was told that he would be on the next plane. I said: ”No, no, no. If he is not going with us, then I am not going either.”[4:57] [05:50] Next morning I put on my civilian cloths. I told Standa to take it back with his own stuff. I decided to leave the team and went to the Strahov stadium. That caused an uproar. [5:13] [06:04] Dana was crying,  but I said that I wasn’t running anyway , I was at Strahov if I am needed. 3 days later a car arrived at the ministry. Suddenly,  a big surprise, there were 2 air tickets, one  for me and one for Jungvirt. [5:33]  [06:25] While we were travelling to Helsinki to join the team, military sport department received an order to prepare an exemplary punishment of Emil Zatopek  for subversion of the Czech representation. That was a serious problem. [5:53] commentator] [07:06]In Helsinki at the Olympic games in 1952 Zatopek compensated for everything. Crowded Olympic stadium was eagerly waiting to watch the battle between 15 finalists. [6:03 Zatopek] [06:18] It came to the last lap. I heard the bell. I got the second wind. The crowd was ecstatic, everybody on their feet [6:15] [6:27] .Huge roar. I went to the last bend, 300 metres from the finish. It was all exciting.   Schade, Mimoun. Schade. 3 runners were in front of me. I was in the forth position. But there are only 3 medals. [6:28] [07:20] Being fourth means no medal. I was not happy. I thought I either pack it in or do something about it. I decided to give it a go. [6:37 commentator] [07:24] Emil is fourth. Now he is applying his strong will. He is heading to the top position. He is at the top. (someone is falling down). There is 100 metres to go. Emil, the whole nation is behind you. And Zatopek is flying towards the finish. A few more metres. And  Emil passed the finishing line. [07:00 broadcaster] ] [07:51] “We are sending a message to our nation. Czechoslovakian runner, staff officer Emil Zatopek fulfilled his pledge.”  [7:11 Zatopek] [07:20] The next day, in Rude Pravo [Czech daily]  was a big title , the world success of Emil Zatopek . At that time, at the ministry,  there was an influential officer General Kratochvil. He came to the office and he spotted Rude Pravo on the table. He picked it up and noticed the news about Zatopek.  Then he grabbed documents on the table. One of them was about my exemplary punishment .He was pretty confused. 7:34] [08:25]  He called his secretary. He wondered whether there were 2 Zatopeks. No, that’s the same guy, she said. That’s nonsense! [7:46][08:38]  And he tore the document. So, I managed to avoid any consequences of my behaviour. I wondered what would have happened if I had been unsuccessful. Perhaps I was lucky. That’s Dana and I say, one needs a bit of luck, in sport as well as in life. [08:07 commentator] [08:59] Still euphoric from unexpected Emil’s victory Dana , using her maximum will, went to throw her first javelin. A few years of hard training embodied  every detail of her movements. And Dana, with her first throw, secured another gold medal for Czechoslovakia. [8:28 Dana] [09:20] That was something I learned from him. It was to practice a lot, make sacrifices, train even every weekend. Work on yourself non-stop.[08:40 Emil] [09:31] Well, sport. The most beautiful message in sport  is FAIR PLAY. To be honest, no cheating, be just, no discrimination. [09:47] [unrelated statement] It worked out well with Jungvirt that time.

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It happened a few times. When I saw something wrong I always voiced my opinion and expressed my disagreement. Take Olympic games in antique Greece. Weapons were put away , battles were seized,  games had priority over everything else. It was a celebration of peace and friendship. [9:32] [10:23] Can you imagine, a few weeks before the Mexican Olympics suddenly our country is invaded by Russian tanks. Soldiers starting shooting around. That’s not an Olympic spirit. Unfortunately my views resulted in expulsion from the army.[9:45] [10:38] I was forced to do manual work. It wasn’t too bad. I took it as a part of training. I worked in Jachymov mines and in other mines. We did exploratory drillings for uranium and mineral waters. Also we drilled for wells. [10:04] [10:56] In 1972 there were Olympic games in Munich. Vera Caslavska and I were invited.  I took my invitation to show it to my team leader. He was very indignant. He said : 10:20] [11:10]  ”No way, for how long?, 3 weeks? Where would  I find a replacement? So I had to write that due to working commitments I could not accept the invitation. to the Olympic games in Munich. [10:32] [11:25] But it was in interest of top people for me to be there. They wanted to establish diplomatic contacts. Then 3 days before the games a telegram arrived: Zatopek is released  for the period between 3 days before and 2 days after the games. My team leader was furious. It was a difficult situation. Every worker had a role in the team and suddenly one would be missing.

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Finnish president

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Actor

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world record holder for 5 and 10 kilometres

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Swedish prince

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President of the International Olympic Committee

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Marathon record holder

[11:16 Zatopek] [12:07]

There should be no statues for living beings. Nobody is certain whether the individual ends up in the government or in jail.  Anything can happen.  I wasn’t too happy when my statue had been removed.

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Sporting life is not only about victories. It is also about losses and defeats. That is also useful because  if one wins he is awarded a laurel. He feels at the top and he glows with happiness . [12:03] [11:55] But if one loses than one starts thinking why did it happen? What did I do wrong? Was there any mistake in my preparation, in my training? That is also required. To learn from mistakes.  It makes one cleverer, wiser and more successful next time.

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[music + images]

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emil zatopek

born 19.9.1922

The only athlete in the world,  won 3 medals in track disciplines

5 kilometres, 10 kilometres and marathon.

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[END]

[next is a clip about Vera Caslavska]