Věra Čáslavská

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Administrator
SexFemale
Full nameVěra•Čáslavská (-Odložilová)
Used nameVěra•Čáslavská
Born3 May 1942 in Praha (Prague), Hlavní město Praha (CZE)
Died30 August 2016 in Praha (Prague), Hlavní město Praha (CZE)
Measurements160 cm / 58 kg
NOC Czechia Czechoslovakia
Nationality Czechia
Medals OG
Gold 7
Silver 4
Bronze 0
Total 11

Biography

Attractive, vivacious and talented, Věra Čáslavská of Czechoslovakia was the outstanding gymnast at the 1964 and 1968 Games. In Tokyo she won three gold medals and a silver, winning the all-around, on the balance beam, and the horse vault, and finishing second in the team event. In 1968 at Mexico she dominated, winning four golds (one shared) and two silvers. Her 1968 golds came in the individual all-around, floor exercises, horse vault, and uneven parallel bars. Čáslavská also won a silver medal in the team event in 1960, giving her a total of 11 Olympic medals, which has only been bettered by Larisa Latynina (URS) among female gymnasts. After winning her final gold medal in 1968 she married Czech Olympic silver medalist (1,500 metres in 1964) Josef Odložil (1938-1993), in Mexico. Her victories at Mexico City were dramatic, given the political tenor of the times. She defeated Soviet gymnasts shortly after Soviet tanks had invaded her homeland of Czechoslovakia. At the World Championships, Čáslavská won the 1966 all-around, and the horse vault in both 1962 and 1966. She was all-around European champion in 1965 and 1967, and in 1965, she won the title in all five individual events. In 1989, Čáslavská was appointed President of the Czech Olympic Committee, and in 1995 she was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal Nationality As
1960 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) TCH CZE Věra Čáslavská
Individual All-Around, Women (Olympic) 8
Team All-Around, Women (Olympic) Czechoslovakia 2 Silver
Floor Exercise, Women (Olympic) =9 r1/2
Horse Vault, Women (Olympic) 7 r1/2
Uneven Bars, Women (Olympic) 21 r1/2
Balance Beam, Women (Olympic) 6
1964 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) TCH CZE Věra Čáslavská
Individual All-Around, Women (Olympic) 1 Gold
Team All-Around, Women (Olympic) Czechoslovakia 2 Silver
Floor Exercise, Women (Olympic) 6
Horse Vault, Women (Olympic) 1 Gold
Uneven Bars, Women (Olympic) 5
Balance Beam, Women (Olympic) 1 Gold
1968 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) TCH CZE Věra Čáslavská
Individual All-Around, Women (Olympic) 1 Gold
Team All-Around, Women (Olympic) Czechoslovakia 2 Silver
Floor Exercise, Women (Olympic) =1 Gold
Horse Vault, Women (Olympic) 1 Gold
Uneven Bars, Women (Olympic) 1 Gold
Balance Beam, Women (Olympic) 2 Silver

Organization roles

Role Organization Tenure NOC Nationality As
President Československý olympijský výbor 1990—1993 TCH CZE Věra Čáslavská
President Český olympijský výbor 1992—1996 CZE Věra Čáslavská
Member International Olympic Committee 1995—2001 CZE Věra Čáslavská

Olympic family relations

Special Notes