GYMNASTS from Czechia

Top 3

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Czech Gymnasts of all time. This list of famous Czech Gymnasts is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Věra Čáslavská (1942 - 2016)

With an HPI of 64.23, Věra Čáslavská is the most famous Czech Gymnast.  Her biography has been translated into 40 different languages on wikipedia.

Věra Čáslavská (Czech pronunciation: [ˈvjɛra ˈtʃaːslafskaː]; 3 May 1942 – 30 August 2016) was a Czechoslovak artistic gymnast and Czech sports official. She won a total of 22 international titles between 1959 and 1968 including seven Olympic gold medals, four world titles and eleven European championships. Čáslavská is the most decorated Czech gymnast in history and is one of only two female gymnasts, along with Soviet Larisa Latynina, to win the all-around gold medal at two consecutive Olympics. She remains the only gymnast, male or female, to have won an Olympic gold medal in each individual event. She was also the first gymnast to achieve perfect 10 at a major competition in the post-1952 era. She holds the record for most individual gold medals among all female athletes (not only gymnasts) in Olympic history as well. In addition to her gymnastics success, Čáslavská was known for her outspoken support of the Czechoslovak democratization movement and her opposition to the 1968 Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia. At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, she took this protest to the world stage by quietly looking down and away while the Soviet national anthem was played during the medal ceremonies for the balance beam and floor exercise event finals. While Čáslavská's actions were applauded by her compatriots, they resulted in her becoming a persona non grata in the new regime. She was forced into retirement and for many years was denied the right to travel, work and attend sporting events. Čáslavská's situation improved in the 1980s after the intervention of members of the International Olympic Committee, and following the Velvet Revolution her status improved dramatically. During the 1990s she held several positions of honor, including a term as president of the Czech Olympic Committee.

2. Anton Heida (1878 - 2000)

With an HPI of 48.66, Anton Heida is the 2nd most famous Czech Gymnast.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Anton Heida (born 24 December 1878, date of death unknown) was an American gymnast who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics, where he won five gold medals. He won the vault, horizontal bar, pommel horse, team competition and all-around titles, becoming the most successful athlete at the 1904 Olympics.

3. Ladislav Vácha (1899 - 1943)

With an HPI of 42.80, Ladislav Vácha is the 3rd most famous Czech Gymnast.  His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Ladislav Vácha (21 March 1899 in Brno – 28 June 1943) was a Czech gymnast and Olympic champion competing for Czechoslovakia. He competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, where he received a bronze medal in rope climbing and rings. He received a gold medal in parallel bars, and silver medals in rings and team combined exercises at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. He died during World War II shortly after being interrogated by Gestapo for his resistance activities.