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Emil Zatopek

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Athlete

The Resume

    (September 19, 1922-November 22, 2000)
    Born in Koprivinice, Czech Republic
    Distance runner
    Won Olympic gold medals in the 10,000 meters (1948, 1952), 5000 meters (1952) and marathon (1952)

Why he might be annoying:

    His training techniques and running style were unorthodox.
    He was nicknamed 'the Czech locomotive' for his audible wheezing and panting during races.
    Sportswriter Red Smith said his grimaces while running were 'the most frightful horror spectacle since Frankenstein.'
    He suffered a hernia while training by running with his wife sitting on his shoulders.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Ohio State track coach Larry Snyder said, 'He does everything wrong but win.'
    He noted about his training techniques, 'Everyone said, 'Emil, you are a fool!' But when I first won the European Championship, they said, 'Emil, you are a genius.'
    He is not just the only person (as of 2008) to win the 5000 meters, 10000 meters and marathon at the same Olympics, he is the only athlete to run in all three events at a single Olympics.
    He won an Olympic gold medal in the first marathon he ever ran.
    After he supported democracy during the Prague Spring (1968), he was stripped of his rank as colonel in the Czech army and was forced to work menial jobs for seven years.
    He was married to his wife Dana, a gold medalist in the javelin, for 52 years until his death.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 10 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 20 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 18 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 27 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 14 Votes: 28.57% Annoying