Arnošt Nejedlý

Czech athlete Arnošt Nejedlý was an incredibly talented long-distance runner who won multiple races at the turn of the 20th century. Nejedlý competed for AC Sparta in 1899 before moving to SK Slavia the following year. After finishing in second place in the 1903 edition of the Běchovice-Prague race, he then went on to win four back-to-back titles from 1904 to 1907.

At the 1906 Intercalated Games Nejedlý ran in the marathon where he finished in 15th place. He also ran in the five-mile race but his time was not recorded. Two years later Nejedlý finished in 18th place in the marathon at the 1908 London Olympics. Again he ran in the five-mile race, this time finishing in third place in his heat, which was not enough to advance to the final. Nejedlý was also scheduled to run in the 800 metres at the London Games but did not start the race. Three months after the Olympics he won the first marathon to take place on Czech territory, recording a time of 3:22:50.

Nejedlý’s running career ended after 1910 due to an injury but he continued to promote distance running in the city of České Budějovice. He later enlisted in the Austrian Army but was killed in action on the Serbian Front in 1917 during World War I.

Personal Best: Mar – unknown.