Inauguration of a Statue of Emil Zatopek

At a ceremony which took place today at the Olympic Museum, the Czech National Olympic Committee donated a bronze statue of the athlete Emil Zatopek, by sculptor Jaroslav Broz, to the Olympic Musem. The statue was unveiled in the presence of the IOC President, as well as a Czech delegation, which included the sculptor himself; Emil Zatopek's widow, Dana Zatopka; the Minister for Youth and Sports, Petra Buzkova; and the NOC President, Milan Jirasek, and Jan Zelezny, Olympic javelin champion in 1992, 1996 and 2000. The Canton of Vaud and the City of Lausanne were also represented.

Emil Zatopek, who died in 2000, was one of the greatest runners in history. Gold medallist in 1948 in London in the 10,000m and silver medallist in the 5,000m, he gave one of the greatest performances in running history in 1952 in Helsinki where he won the 5,000m, successfully defended his 10,000m title, and won his third gold medal in the marathon, thus making a hat trick still unequalled in Olympic history.