VARIOUS LOCATIONS (1954-1958)
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN (26/1/58)


1.
EMIL ZATOPEK PREPARING FOR RACE



PARIS (30/5/54)


2.
START OF RACE


3.
ZATOPEK IN THE LEAD LAPPING OTHER RUNNERS


4.
CLOSE UP ZATOPEK


5.
ZATOPEK BREAKS WORLD 5,000 METRES RECORD



SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN (26/1/58)


6.
ZATOPEK COMPETING IN CROSS COUNTRY RACE


7.
ZATOPEK WINS


8.
CLOSE UP ZATOPEK BEING CONGRATULATED AT FINISH




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Olympic legend Emil Zatopek, 77, has been taken to a
hospital in his native Czech Republic, suffering from pneumonia.



Czech news agency TK news agency, quoting officials at a
Prague hospital, reported on Wednesday (September 6) that long
distance runner Emil Zatopoek had a fever and was exceptionally
tired. Hospital officials would not comment further.

Zatopek, winner of four Olympic gold medals as well as one
silver, was admitted to hospital earlier this year after
breaking a hip.

Zatopek's finest achievements came at the 1952 Helsinki
Olympics when he won the 5,000 and 10,000 metres plus the
marathon in the space of eight days, each in Olympic record
time.

His marathon victory was particularly noteworthy. In his
debut, Zatopek demoralised his rivals by casually inquiring if
the pace was fast enough before going on to win by 700 metres.

In all he set 18 world records, five at 10,000 metres. On
May 30th 1954, he broke the 5,000 metre mark in Paris. His time
of 13 minutes 57.2 seconds was a second faster than that of
Swede Gunder Hagg set 12 years before. Just two days later he
broke the 10,000 metres world record in Brussels.

Zatopek was expelled from the army and the Communist party
for supporting the 1968 democratic movement known as Prague
Spring, but was eventually rehired by the Ministry of Sport
until he retired in 1982.

His wife, Dana Zatapkova, was the 1952 Olympic javelin
champion. She was born on the same day as her husband -
September 19, 1922,