Dana INGROVA-ZATOPKOVA

Dana Zátopková (née Ingrová) started out as a handball player, took up athletics and javelin throwing in 1946, and she helped win a Czechoslovakian handball title in 1949 with Slovácká Slavia. As a javelin thrower, Zátopková competed in four consecutive Olympics, starting in 1948, and won gold in 1952 and silver in 1960, while placing fourth in 1956 and seventh in 1948. She also competed at three European Championships, winning javelin titles in 1954 and 1958 and finishing fifth in 1950. Zátopková set one world record during her career, throwing 55.73 in June 1958 in Praha. She was the Czechoslovakian javelin champion in 1946-52, 1954-56, and 1958-60. Zátopková retired from sports in 1962 and later worked as an athletics coach. She was a member of the IAAF Women’s Committee from 1960-72 and received the Olympic Order in Silver in 1995. She married her countryman and distance running legend Emil Zátopek shortly after the 1948 Olympics.

Personal Best: JT – 56.67 (1958).