Czechoslovakia at The 1948 Summer Olympics

Czechoslovakia At The 1948 Summer Olympics

Czechoslovakia competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England. 87 competitors, 73 men and 14 women, took part in 55 events in 11 sports.

26 year old Emil Zátopek won the gold medal in the 10 kilometre run on the first day (his third race at that distance) and became the first Czechoslovak athlete gold medalist. On the second day he added a silver medal in the 5km run. Czechoslovak canoeists were also very successful (gaining 3 gold and one silver medal), Jan Brzák-Felix successfully defended his medal that he had won 12 years earlier in 1936 Summer Olympics with another partner, Václav Havel and Jiří Pecka won a silver medal using a 12 year old boat from the 1936 Olympics. Boxer Július Torma won the gold medal in the Welterweight class, despite the fact that he had injured his left arm before the semi-final. Women's gymnastics team also secured gold medals, but this victory was overshadowed with death of their teammate Eliška Misáková, who succumbed to polio in London.