©IOC

Family name:Zátopek
Given name: Emil
Nickname: The Czech Locomotive/The Human Locomotive
Date and place of birth: 19 September 1922 in Kopřivnice (Czechoslovakia)
Nationality: Czech
Olympic achievements:
London 1948: gold medal in the 10,000m, silver medal in the 5,000m
Helsinki 1952: gold medal in the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon

The illustrious owner of this Adidas left shoe was none other than the “Czech Locomotive”, the legendary Emil Zátopek. The high point of his brilliant career was at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, where Zátopek set a fantastic record which has never been beaten, winning the 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres and marathon. His extraordinary endurance, the result of intensive training and iron self-discipline, astounded the public and disheartened his rivals. In a perfect illustration of his extraordinary talent, with his rival competitors far behind, he finished the Helsinki Games marathon by waving to the public and chatting to some of the spectators massed along the side of the track…