Emil Zátopek Wins 5,000m, 10,000m & Marathon Gold - Helsinki 1952 Olympics

[@maureenray5452]

I am 78 today. I was athletics mad when I was young. I will never forget listening to Emil Zatopek winning the marathon. I had to listen on radio in those days but the whole stadium was alive shouting Zatopek, Zatopek and though I was so very young I cried buckets. Memories of this incredible win still bring tears to my eyes and I am grateful to whoever uploaded this movie. Thank you.

[@alexHHoe]

Maureen Ray I was your 100th like :)

[@francishooton3933]

Zatopek would waist Mo Farah.

[@gandalfs-pants]

Thanks for sharing such a beautiful memory!

[@stuartpaul9995]

I remember. He`d won the 5000 metres and then the 10,000 and finally he comes into the stadium obviously going to win the marathon with the whole stadium shouting his name. I`ve always wondering what must have been going thru his mind at that moment.

[@stephenlebkuecher4688]

@@stuartpaul9995 I'm reading a biography about him, "Today we die a little"....great book. Saw your comment from only three weeks ago. His legend lives on...

[@RonnyUniverse]

The guy was a Mammoth. At the time of the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki he had no match in the 10 000 meters. However He wanted to run the 5000 meteres as well. He believed his kick wasn't fast enough to win the 5000 m. So 6 months before the 1952 Olympics he started a rigouris routine. So worried about his kick that on one particular day, (this is mind blowing) he ran the 400meters 100 TIMES!! That is fucking insane. After winning gold in both races he decided to enter into the marathon. He'd never ran a marathon before so his strategy was simple. He'd run side by side with the current world record holder. And Zatopek WON!

[@doposud]

actually it was otherwise he never run marathon before

[@Case_]

Supposedly, about a third into the race, Zatopek asked Peters (the record holder) how he felt about the race so far. Peters, already struggling, decided to tell him that it's OK, but the pace seems rather slow so far, to throw him off. Hearing this, Zatopek assumed they should run faster, and so he did.

[@ronny9.794]

@@doposud yes got them mixed up, thanks

[@faustalibardi4225]

it is difficult not to love his smile.

[@Sudipto17Kolkata]

And he had famously said, I am not talented enough to smile and run :-)

[@rokyericksonroks]

He bears a striking resemblance to my accountant!

[@veronikadolanska8040]

just now big cinema movie was finished about his story in czech republic...

[@kapilkothari3734]

That smile.... ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@jindrich5562]

I'm from Czechia and I think Zátopek is the best athlete in our history!

[@frostyab7579]

Zatopek, Zelezny, Kratochvilova, Caslavska

[@paveltrachta]

@@frostyab7579 a teď i Ledecká :)

[@АндрейВладимиров-ь4т]

not Zelzny?

[@toyena8290]

@@frostyab7579 je jich mnoho ))

[@MrTutyo]

I´m from Spain and I agree, Zatopek es the best in History. And he was a great great guy

[@sfrenato]

Emil was an absolute legend: started to run quite late at 16, invented interval training which is the key part of modern preparation to any long distance competition and managed to get at the top of the world. 0:58 Smiling and joking with the cameraman while running a world record: only an absolute legend can do that. Once a journalist asked him about his ugly running style and he calmly responded: _This is not ballet, you know?_

[@DanielGarcia-ir8oe]

That’s legendary wit as well

[@vocabswitch]

Interval training predated Zatopek although he was probably the most famous exponent of the method. He also didn't run a world record in the marathon (although he ran several at other distances) The world record holder at the time was Jim Peters who collapsed and didn't finish the Olympic Marathon. Peters went on to lower his own world record a couple of years later.

[@doposud]

@@vocabswitch Yes and becose Emil never ran Marathon before , he knew that Peters was a favorite for the race becose he held world record . So he was like - i'm going to stay with him and before the finish i will sprint foward . But during the race he asked Peters if the tempo is ok or too slow or too fast ? and Peters told him we actually need to run faster to make Emil tired but Emil said ok and took off Peter collapsed later

[@milankolar90]

@@vocabswitch he was inovator of intervals in the socialistic Era in Czechoslovakia. And he made Olympic record not world but He ran Marathon race! For the first time. But its needed to say, that he was running for 80x400 plus 200 rest intervals in training. Its imposible.

[@jordanclark7821]

I already know how to run slow!

[@49fiori]

His wife Dana died today 😢 What amazing guy he was and amazing couple they were! I hope they are together now again! 🙏

[@toyena8290]

dana, zlata olympijska osteparka, znala jsem je

[@vanhollebekebenefitauction704]

She won Gold in the Javelin.

[@westernslav6453]

Some of the most incredible Athletes come from my homeland. Very proud of little Czechoslovakia.

[@albertdeadline7277]

Frajer navěky :-) kdyz vidim ty jeho dobehy, dojme me to znovu... Úžasné spojení treninku a neskutečně silne hlavy a srdce.

[@sanmicheal6754]

I from South korea. i respect Emil zatopec. The reason I respect him is not because of his achievements as a player. He always acted for justice. He didn't compromise with injustice, even though he knew he could lose his wealth and honor. He is real hero!!!

[@mahtivaari72]

He is still well remembered here in Finland. Older people used to call him in a Finnish way 'Satupekka'.

[@hedlik]

that is so nice to read ! I can see Satupekka must come from a badly pronounced Zatopek. sounds a little bit japanese :) emil based his early training methots on paavo Nurmi, so there always was a nice Czech-Finnish connection.

[@tyttiMK]

Yes, 'satu' means a fairytale and 'pekka' is like a name Peter. The name is not that difficult to pronounce but Finns just gave him a nickname. Sport (history) fans also remember that his wife won the Javelin.

[@jakubpetricek]

No wonder the Finns remember his wife Dana Zátopková to win javelin. The Finns love their javelin heros maybe even more than us Czechs.

[@rokyericksonroks]

Emil had a certain bounce in his step, a lightness to his carriage. This was a “Czech” that bounced.

[@toyena8290]

I am from the CZech rep. and we know about your Kaisa M., for us is she fin. express ))

[@MultiJejje]

I'd say he is the biggest legend in Finland what comes to foreign 1952 Olympics athletes. People still talk about him.

[@TomCat.-]

In 1952, the Chinese POW camp held the POW Olympic Games during the Korean War. With United Nations soldiers from 14 countries, South Korea ran the fastest.

[@kenmorgan231]

Zatopek was a great Czech athlete but the greatest Finnish legends must surely be Paavo Nurmi, Hannes Kolehmaien, Ville Ritola and Lasse Viren.

[@geneclemetson4779]

What’s even more amazing is what they DIDN’T have but still achieved such amazing feats: no sophisticated training, poorly supportive clothing and shoes 👞, no aid stations anywhere on the course. These men were the gladiators upon whose shoulders today’s champions stand

[@HerrFlick1989]

Its our Czech Hero!! :) best runner.. until today..

[@rc2869]

Dawe Ej He is Everyone's Hero

[@kecenavrtep]

We are so little nation, but we have so many things to be proud of.....Zatopek, Jagr, Hasek, Nedved, Spotakova, Zelezny, Valenta, Ledecka.....

[@prejdak]

Nejenom sportovce! :) not only sportsmen - we are a nation, that is capable of producing fighter jet planes! :) For being a small nation we made our impact on the world.

[@kecenavrtep]

I think, that semtex made bigger impact :)

[@Mirinovic]

Czechoslovak hero

[@mlk5454]

Zátopek had an unorthodox brutal training regime and sometimes pained looking gait, but he is legendary. He ran and won the Helsinki marathon despite never previously having ran that distance. Greatest Runner of all time.

[@AdamFoster]

Not to mention was told running in the Olympics would kill him due to an illness he had recently suffered. I will have to find the source. I believe Zatopek is one of the few runners that we can measure against. Another being Pre.

[@AdamFoster]

?

[@mlk5454]

Adam Foster www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/jun/22/50-olympic-stunning-moments-emil-zatopek In the 1960's Zatopek politically sided with forces moving towards western democracy in communist run Czechoslovakia. "Soviet forces had brought a bloody end to the Prague Spring, a period when Czechoslovakia had flirted with democracy and westernisation, with Zatopek a vocal supporter. The following year Zatopek was punished for his political infidelity. He was put to work in Prague's sanitation department, collecting rubbish, and went on to spend seven years working in a uranium mine. Typically he saw the bright side of that experience as well. 'The earth is nice not only from above, but from inside,' he said." He was an amazingly positive man as well as a superb runner. I think I've got that right Gauldoth TheHalfdeath

[@AdamFoster]

Wow. That's interesting.

[@Thesajlem]

my grandfather used to train with him

[@aussieoranges]

I heard when he finished the marathon, the Jamaican team actually picked him up and carried him around the stadium on their shoulders. Great man.

[@martinvnoucek5077]

Je to machr Emila už nikdy nikdo nepřekoná.Ted sem dokoukal film Zátopek a povedl se

[@williamschroeder3070]

One of the best, if not the best, distance runners of all time. And a good man.

[@tizianonatale6023]

Behind that smile there are years and years of struggling against human capacity to its very top, this man is truly remarkable example..

[@jozefserf2024]

Possibly still the greatest achievement in athletics. The 5k and the 10k double are difficult enough.

[@Shekyr]

I think this sporting feat, will never be surpassed...Great Zátopek! And a hero....

[@C-R-A-C-K-E-R]

It's sad that people forget him in the long distance GOAT conversation for Kipchoge who has one only 1.Olympic gold and set 1.WR. While Zatopek has set 18 world records, won 4.olympic golds including a treble in one olympics and Countless European golds. And the guy was first distance runner to specificly use interval training from which orginated strides (sessions like 20×100m).

[@serdarsaran8440]

unbelievable succes...such a strong athlete..he found the immortality..

[@barbaracameron-smith7093]

Talk about inspiring. Makes me want to dust off my old marathon shoes all these years later and take up distance running again. Thanks for the post!

[@chatman2a]

It’s worth noting that, in winning OLYMPIC gold, ZATOPEK HAD NEVER BEFORE RUN A MARATHON! That was his first time! Zatopek’s “trifecta gold “ (winning the 5000, 10,000 & marathon) will NEVER be broken. The last time anyone came close occurred in the 1976 Olympics: The great Finnish runner, Lasse Viren, won the 5k and 10k, but finished 5th in the marathon. Hail the immortal Emile ZATOPEK!!!

[@nikgml]

I wish i was alive back then, just to see you running. Emil, you are the greatest of them all!

[@doposud]

He won there 3 gold medals and his wife Dana won Javelin gold at the same olympics Their date night was like this : Dana was throwing Javelin and Emil was running for it and back few years later great Australian runner Ron Clarke (holder of few world records) wanted to go to olympics but he was selected to carry the torch so he could not compete. He visited Czechoslovakia and Emil showed him Prague etc ... And when Ron had to go , they went together to airport and as he was about to board the plane , Emil shook his hand and gave him little box in hand with words : you deserve this Ron opened the small box in the plane - and there it was one of Emils Golden medals from Helsinki This just tells you how kind person Emil was

[@lukaszachoval969]

This will never happen again to achieve such a great success. Respekt to Emil Zátopek the best of the best !!

[@billramsey8934]

Emil Zatopek...arguably the greatest and unquestionably one of the greatest distance runners in history to ever lace on a pair of track spikes!

[@milankolar90]

Absolute legend and true sportsman and gentleman.

[@radimbrenek698]

Him and his wife were super athletes and super people, absolutely beautiful, humble and kind and modest people, just super models to all ..

[@Mrakoplasz]

Thanks to Mr. Zátopek, I can still be proud of my country.

[@MilanBroz]

And you cannot be proud of your country without him? Why do you need Zatopek...?

[@roybean7166]

@@MilanBroz semtec

[@tedallison6112]

This Olympics Triple Crown will never be duplicated in our human history.

[@paulwilliams8389]

Amazing athlete, amazing human being. It was reading about him that used to inspire me to train harder.

[@simonvance8054]

I’d never even heard of Emil Zatopek before I read the book ‘Born to Run’. I love this guy, he’d never even ran a marathon before and just randomly thought he’d start at the Olympics!.. It’s said that Zatopek asked Peters if the pace was too fast and Peters said “Too slow.” Then Zatopek took off. Makes me wonder if it broke Peters psychologically who was the world record marathoner at the time. I highly recommend the book, it’s inspired me to start running again. It’s reading about amazing people like Zatopek that did it…

[@pe8352]

what a legend! true sport hero

[@runcaz7802]

Went to the Pardubice marathon in 1995 as part of a group of runners from the states. One of our runners (Bob Hodge), took a detour from the airport to go interview Emil Zatopek. I asked to tag along but was denied. That's the closest I came to meeting this great legend.

[@joaopedrovale7687]

Zatopek ....... Fantastic! Congratulations of Brazil.

[@jmad627]

I can’t imagine another human being equaling let alone surpassing this athletic feat.

[@CWTHenrik]

He must run with hope in his heart and dream in his head. What a beautiful and wise words !

[@Johnlikesmariahcarey]

Such an incredible performance! You can see by the way he jokes around with the camera man he thoroughly enjoys the running! haha

[@daveslivinski8941]

Greatest feat of all time in Olympics. He developed or invented Interval training. Never ran actual race distances except in competition.

[@hansgerdwichmann8526]

Hi Emil Zatopek habe ich 1986 persönlich kennengelernt beim Silvester Lauf Werl- Soest ich habe noch ein Foto wo ich mit ihm zusammen stand anschließen habe ich noch ein Autogramm mit seiner Unterschrift auf einen Bierdeckel bekommen ,ich war sehr stolz darauf den Emil war in unsere Kindheit der Star 👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏

[@niks7275]

Everyone should read the book about him, it will give you a different view of life. Fun fact: He used to work as an assembly line worker but was too slow (quite a paradox right?) so he was moved to a factory with chemicals from where he gathered some knowledge about chemistry and so when he drank water with lemon, he would add in chalk powder to neutralize the drink so that his teeth wouldn't get yellow. (this is mentioned in the book)

[@danielherman1089]

the greatest runner ever... proste borec co dokazal neco, co uz nikdo asi nikdy nezopakuje :-)

[@vch8491]

who can dislike this sport hero? :)

[@mf5202]

Will never happen again. Just amazing.

[@Petrnovak2743]

Úžasné, až neuvěřitelné co pan Zátopek dokázal

[@andystoker6961]

"He is one Czech who will always be honoured!" Hoorah

[@mr.schloopka1124]

When he hadn't been profesional yet, he always went from his job by a line of trees. Once he stoped breathing and run. First day he had to stop after few trees, but he kept trying every day and after some time he could run without breathing by the whole line. Also people say he had never ran marathon before. Yes, he hadn't ran 41. something km, but sometimes he would run 400m 100 times in a day or he would run with a dog whole day and the dog was actually exhausted in the evening.

[@JiriKrupa-el7jt]

Emil, nedoceněný atletický hrdina,fenomenální výkon

[@victorgarciavargas8056]

Unmatched achievement until now. Zatopek keeps being the best long distance runner of all times.

[@migatarosita]

The best of masters. The ONE. ZÁTOPEK

[@noirjacques3274]

Justifiably so this all-time Athletics great has at least one race after him: the Australian national 10,000m championship. What a Superstar, what a Champion, what a Legend! 🥇

[@fatihkocer1248]

Greetings from Turkey to the Czechs. We commemorate the Czech locomotive with respect.

[@PankajSharma-bt7gu]

Zaptoek is like a train engine in the Olympic history one man who run 5km 10km and 42km and win three gold medal in helinski Olympic he is a great athlete for Czechoslovakia he is a army soldier apart from this no one has even thought of participating in all three races till date it is a distant thing to win

[@jbyesterday3959]

Do you know what Zatopek's finishing times were in those 3 races?

[@ronniehaydon7392]

such joyous running, made me smile, thanks for sharing

[@TheAlmirante14]

Una leyenda zatopek! También muy orgulloso del reprensante de mi país Argentina

[@Tommy1198S]

Great Man, Huge Heart.

[@stefank7144]

As a former Czechoslovakian what can i say, Emils record will never be broken, to win all 3 these days with people just running one as a speciality will stand forever. What made him run marathon that he never tried before is unbelievable, its sad what commies did to him after he spoke to much against the regime, he should have been wiser and just emigrated first chance he got. But he i guess had courage and did not care ...

[@elnardowebster2842]

The Goat, plain and simple.

[@markgable101]

Zatopek was an amazing character unique. Apparently he would have conversations with other runners along the marathon route. He also trained in army boots. He completed the 10k, 5k and marathon all in the same Olympic games. I think his wife was also Olympic champion in javelin. Emile Zatopek is most amazing character ever in athletics.

[@ndmath]

What an inspiration...

[@mugishaisaac4488]

HE IS ON MOUNT RUSHMORE OF THE GREATEST OLYMPIANS OF ALL TIME.

[@gascandom]

"It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys."

[@pitchneon413]

Wow. He is my true hero after all

[@salishwanderer7869]

Greatest Olympic runner of all time. Period.

[@ct1216]

Three names I ve never forgotten Zatopek, Bubka and Comaneci

[@suhasa9772]

holy..triple olympic gold medalist..who can ever dream of equalling this record....and the man is speeding up towards d end of tat marathon !

[@Espedals]

What a legend... Also the Do Go On podcast is absolutely brilliant!

[@jarmilasvobodna2238]

E.Z.- runner with an unexhaustable inner energy. His main rule was:" When You think, You cannot move more, increase the speed". Incredibly modest and beloved Man. He attracted generations of children to the lihgt atletics. Greetings from the Czech Republic.

[@zatopek4846]

Emil was greatest olympic runner. And with Dana were best duo in Helsinki 1952. Emil Zatopek always win

[@AgroJurek]

Emil jest legendą, jego osiągnięcia robią wrażenie do dzisiaj

[@federicoguillermorio]

Este hombre era un gigante. En el momento de los Juegos Olímpicos de 1952 en Helsinki no tenía rival en los 10 000 metros. Sin embargo, también quería ejecutar los 5000 metros. Creía que su patada no era lo suficientemente rápida para ganar los 5000 m. Entonces, 6 meses antes de los Juegos Olímpicos de 1952, comenzó una rutina rigurosa. Tan preocupado por su patada que en un día en particular, (esto es alucinante) corrió los 400 metros 100 VECES !! Eso es una locura. Tras ganar el oro en ambas carreras decidió entrar en el maratón. Nunca antes había corrido un maratón, así que su estrategia fue simple. Corría al lado del actual poseedor del récord mundial. ¡Y Zatopek GANÓ!

[@raffaojeda]

The human machine!! Out of this world, Zatopek ahead of his time in training and results.

[@nickdengler2985]

This video is incredible

[@raffaojeda]

Leyenda, ídolo, inspiración!

[@kvernon1]

To win the 5000, 10000, and Marathon in the same Olympics -- especially after never running a Marathon before in his life -- is one of the greatest achievements in Olympic history. And that is not an exaggeration!

[@stonekeeper86]

The great Zatopek!!

[@saulosalla3373]

Nenhum atleta na atualidade conseguiu o feito de Emil Zatopec ganhar 3 competições numa mesma olimpíada

[@kecenavrtep]

I think....i will try a Marathon.....lol :) How to win Olympics as a BOSS

[@thomson765]

when Peters dropped back it was because Zatopek asked him "is this pace fast enough?". Peters thought he was taunting so he said "no"... and Zatopek accelerated into the distance.

[@thomson765]

when Peters dropped back it was because Zatopek asked him "is this pace fast enough?". Peters thought he was taunting so he said "no"... and Zatopek accelerated into the distance.

[@MilanBroz]

He actually said after Zatopek had asked: No, this is the way marathon should be run. Zatopek also said that he would run behind Peters as he was favourite according to the journalists and then Zatopek thought during the race - well, if he looks like this after 16 km, ´what will happen to us?

[@klenoty80s72]

Proud to be from same country Czechoslovakia

[@marcofonseca2897]

The best of all time 🇧🇷, never surpassed ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@derrotepaul3485]

What a Great Man ! 🏃‍♀️⚡️🏃‍♂️

[@paulthomson2288]

There really should be a movie about him. He had a very interesting life and revolutionized athletics with interval training.

[@mariobetancourt5624]

The human lokomo.fantastic

[@AiTiredBoss]

It is said that Emil had resting heart rate at 30 bpm

[@siostrarenatki]

This video made me find a book 'Zatopek. Olympic legend to Cold War Hero' by Richard Askwith. It is such a treat! I recommend to those who would like to know more about Zatopek's life. Watching this again having read about those races in Helsinki. Thank you Richard Askwith for this book!

[@Buscandolasantidad6318]

La locomotora checa, así le decían, era un fenómeno

[@9yearsagooner611]

I've just started reading a book written about him called 'Today We Die A Little', and it says he nearly didn't go to Finland because his Teammate Stanislav Jungworth was being refused travel by the Soviets, and Zatopek bargained that he wouldn't go himself unless Stanislav was allowed to go. The commotion caused delay and they only arrived last minute. Journalists had been told that he had Tonsilitus but the real reason could have ended up drastically worse that anyone living today would begin to imagine.

[@jakubpetricek]

It was Jungwirth, not Jungworth. I should know, I am Czech. Other than that the story is completely right.

[@doposud]

yes and teammate was not allowed becose his father was political prisoner and goverment wanted to punish Emil becose if that he wanted his teammate with him ...but thanks to his victory he wasn't punished. who knows what would happen if he would lost

[@Educacionfisicaconstmat]

Un fenómeno de la resistencia El único en la historia Logrando ese triplete en unos JUEGOS OLÍMPICOS sus intervalos intensivos SON EL CIMIENTO DEL ENTRENAMIENTO MODERNO GRACIAS POR EL VIDEO SALUDOS DESDE TOLUCA MÉXICO

[@marcelinhotkd]

Legend, the best, forever!

[@gkprivate433]

pretty amazing feat never since duplicated. A few have one 2 of the races, but none all 3. Of course back then there were many less runners that trained seriously at these distances, but you can't fault the man for that.

[@toyena8290]

a dneska mame mnoho muzu a stejne ne a ne

[@sanpra1989]

This was the first marathon Zatopek ever ran. He decided just before the marathon that he wanted to compete. Not knowing the strategy to run a marathon, he decided to keep close to Jim Peters, who was a champion. Jim decided to tire Zatopek, and ran very fast early on. And after around 15km, Zatopek noticed that they had built a very good lead. So he asked Jim if they were going too fast. Jim, hoping to trick Zatopek, told that they were too slow. Zatopek accelerated, and went on to win..

[@marknorris1381]

For a runner as experienced as Peters was he got carried away in at least two major races and ended up a basket case. You would think he would have known better.

[@kundaliniknight]

According to writer James Nestor in his book "Breath The New Science of a Lost Art", Emil Zátopek developed a method of race breathing; the concept of Hypoventilation which in its basic form means taking shorter inhalations and longer exhalations while running and breathing below the body's oxygen needs. Thus causing the body's carbon dioxide level to increase.

[@lincolnhotel4860]

According to greenies that carbon dioxide level increase would be detrimental!

[@liesdekruijf]

And now we have Sifan Hassan

[@ee.o.ey.9272]

Que joyas del atletismo maestro. Pura chulada. Saludos.

[@martinstaufcik4515]

Here is one Czech that will always be honored.

[@ivanholubec]

Zatopek`s slogan: When you get tired then speed up (sorry my english is not perfekt)

[@martinsalphonse178]

Top vidéo

[@puklejchleba]

No pain, no gain! Emil!!!