Zatopek Wins Olympic 10,000m & 5,000m Double Gold - Helsinki 1952 Olympics

Relive classic highlights from the Helsinki 1952 Olympic Games as Emil Zapotek wins the gold medal in both the 10,000m and 5,000m events.

Emil Zatopek arrived at the Helsinki Games as the Olympic champion in the 10000 metres and silver medallist in the 5000m from the London Games. In his first event, the 5000 metres, he showed the fans he was still at the top of his form winning Olympic gold once again.

At the start of the 10000m, expectation was once again high to see if "The Locomotive" (as he was also known) could repeat his London feats in the Finnish capital. Zatopek delivered once again with an amazing final sprint and maintained his Olympic title. He also maintained his winning streak which had begun in 1948 and would last until 1954, for a total 38 races.

Zatopek is still considered by many the greatest runner of all times.

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[richardprasad]

Different era, but still the only person EVER to do the triple (5k, 10k and marathon). His double in the 5 and 10 has been duplicated before, starting in the next Olympics by Vladmir Kuts of the Soviet Union. There have been a few who doubled at 5 and 10 since, including Yifter in 1980 (ETH - RIP), Kenenisa Bekele (ETH-2008) and Mo Farah (2012 and 2016) - doing this in the modern era is even more amazing.

But as for the TRIPLE, the only one close is Lasse Viren (FIN who did the 5/10 double twice in 72 and 76). He came closest with a 5th place in the marathon in 76 THE DAY AFTER winning the 5000m (- BUT with the "aid" of blood-doping - not cheating back then).

Ztaopek's training was insane - he just worked harder than anyone. 60X400m intervals is one of the legendary training sessions he is rumoured to have done, along with unusual ways to build strength and endurance, such as sprints in snow in combat boots.


He is a hero to his country in a way which transcends sport. He stood on the side of the protestors in the 1968 Prague Spring, for which he was expelled from the Party and exiled away from Prague for several years. Even when he was allowed to return to his wife, he was given a low-level job and wiped from public life. Only after democracy came to Czechoslovakia was he officially pardoned.

Hopefully people are still willing to learn about his life, and what he stood for.

[raffaojeda]

Wow mi final favorita de todos los tiempos de 5 mil metros, que emoción esos revases y demás. También que buen compañerismo entre Zatopek y Mimoun!

[beaucherjp]

Course demeurée légendaire. Un hommage à Alain Mimoun au passage. Pas loin de l'emporter... mais ce fut pour 56.

[jairobedoya]

HAY DEPORTITAS QUE TE INSPIRAN A SEGIR CORRIENDO .. ZÁTOPEK ES UNO DE ELLOS

[jonglewongle]

Mimoun was second to Zatopek in 3 Olympics events and then each of them won a Marathon. That equation must have all of those stats factored in order to rank as truly remarkable.

[AltK]

plus he won the gold medal for marathon also!!!
plus ještě vyhrál zlatou za marathon!!

[michalposadovsky]

Read Book from Ota Pavel - Bedna plná šampaňského
(story: Jak to tenkrát běžel Zátopek)

[Maestrovske]

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[roustaboutfun]

That was only a warm-up for the marathon. (That is what I had read)

[jameshogg]

I'm 14 and I can run 100m in under 11 flat please find me:((