Original subtitles

Here's to you!

So Emil, six dumplings...

-And here's for your friend. -Smells beautiful!

-Enjoy. -Thank you.

They're here.

HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH RUN

LET YOUNG EAGLES FLY UP TO THE SUN!

Hey, who's running in the Spring Race on Sunday?

You call yourselves the Bata Youth?

How the hell do you want to fly to the sun

if you're too lazy to get off your asses and run a mile?

I need three men.

Well, if nobody wants to volunteer...

We'll take it from the end. Zrzavy. Zátopek. Wimer.

Sunday, 10 a.m., behind the new wing.

But I've never been allowed to run because of my lungs.

Nobody's asking you to win, just take part.

Just fly up to the sun, young eagle!

-I don't know, boys... -Krupicka will win it anyway.

Emil, close the window. And turn out the light.

I'll just finish eating.

You want us to get bombed? The lights are on.

Just a minute, boys.

Which one is Krupicka?

-Which one do you think? -Guess.

Oh, that's lovely...

Runners to their marks!

Emil, careful, your lungs!

Don't you die on us!

Get set, go!

Go! Run!

Faster!

Krupicka! Krupicka! Krupicka!

That was great!

But I was second.

Come practice with us at the stadium sometime.

-Emil! -Emil!

-Look at that, Emil! -You surprised me!

Jozka didn't think you could do it!

Yes, I did.

-No, he didn't. -Emil! You're like a cheetah!

What are you looking at? The locker room's over there.

Change your clothes and let's go run.

I don't have anything to change into.

We'll find you something.

Good. Come on then.

What the hell kind of running is that?

He runs like an injured octopus.

He's pretty quick, though.

Stop, Emil, stop. You're running like wild.

Your head can't be tilted back like that,

your arms and shoulders should be loose.

Run on your toes, not your heels.

You look like a baby elephant.

-Don't pay them any attention. -I'm not. They're staring at me.

Well, you're a handsome kid, so get running.

Me?

My brother Jaros is the handsome one.

Jog, then give me five straightaways

at a half-mile pace.

-And then? -Then nothing.

Go home, eat and relax.

But tomorrow I want to try a flat-out 3 km.

-You're off tomorrow. -I want to run, doc.

Do you want me to train you? Then do as I say.

Off you go.

So how's it going?

See for yourself.

He can't win anything with that kind of style.

Much better, Emil.

Center of mass! Long steps! Save your breath like the Finns do!

Stop grimacing and focus on your style!

The end of the 2500m race is approaching very quickly.

Amazing form on Tomín Salé, a runner from SK Bata Zlín.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is beautiful.

Salé not only maintains his lead but continues to increase it

as the audience cheers him on.

But look, one of the runners is speeding up.

It's Emil Zátopek, chasing Tomín down like a locomotive,

wildly flailing his arms. Will it be Salé or Zátopek?

Zátopek! A disappointed Salé and a delighted Emil Zátopek.

Friends, the Czechoslovak record

for the one mile has been broken.

Next three, go!

I joined the army

so I could focus on my training and physical condition.

And they give big servings in the canteen.

Your coach, Dr. Haluza, says he has nothing more to teach you.

I've been training on my own.

Where are you going, rattlebrain? Keep together!

Mr. Zátopek, we all know you have great results,

but why do you make such awful faces when you run?

I guess I'm not talented enough

to run and smile at the same time.

Why are you practicing sprints when you're a distance runner?

Because I know how to run, I need to learn to run fast.

-Come play with us. -I can't now.

Are you looking forward to representing us

at the Allied Forces meet in Berlin?

-Very much so. -And how are you preparing?

I'm running.

May I ask for an autograph? To Jirina.

Karel, take a picture.

-May I? -Smile, please.

Got it.

Red.

Don't let that Berlin race go to your head.

You're just gonna be a curiosity, pretty boy!

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen,

to the Allied Forces Championship here in Berlin.

Come here to me, Pedro!

We'll go out soon, OK?

Come, Pedro, we'll go soon.

Come, come, come...

-Here. -I don't want to.

-Why not? -Because he's famous.

Him? With the receding hairline?

-Well go on! -Well go on!

Go to baldy!

-Congratulations. -Thank you.

The flower suited you better.

Then give it back to me when I win.

May I have an autograph?

That's her! That's her!

I've got her flowers. I mean, they're mine, but...

-You did it! -I did!

Miss! Hello! Congratulations!

-Well, where's the flower? -It wilted in the meantime.

You're so slow!

Dana!

Good work!

No way!

Ladies and gentlemen, a few moments ago the 10k race ended,

and the winner was Emil Zátopek!

The other athletes congratulate him

and we look forward to seeing him on the team at Wembley.

Meanwhile, other qualifications are underway.

Dana Ingrová is preparing for the javelin throw.

Can she beat the qualification limit?

-Scratch ! -Dammit!

The event will continue in a few minutes.

-Hello, gentlemen. -Hello, Mr. Zátopek.

-Do you mind if I stand here? -Of course not.

Friends, let's give our support to next throw from Ingrová,

a great hope for Czechoslovak sports.

And the javelin lands at only 35 meters,

Too bad, but not a problem: she still has one more try.

-Higher and to the left? -Higher and to the left.

Now for Ingrová's final attempt.

And she's done it!

We have another qualification!

Young javelin thrower Dana Ingrová is going to London!

Great!

-Congratulations. -Thank you.

Hang on. Look at this.

-What's this? -Look inside.

I wouldn't show people this picture if I were you.

It's on the next page.

-Your name? -No, here...

We were born on the same day of the same year.

That can't be.

It must be fate.

Do you how many other people were born that day?

Definitely lots.

See you later.

Can I accompany you?

Sure.

Of course.

We're going to Uherské Hradiste.

Then I'll run.

He really thinks he's the bee's knees, doesn't he?

I spilled wine on myself.

Dana Ingrová! Shall we dance?

London is important to us.

Not just athletically... politically.

We aren't just athletes. But also soldiers.

And we have a duty towards...

Towards our country, our people and their safety.

We need reliable information.

All we want from you, Emil,

is to keep your eyes peeled in London.

And your ears.

What am I supposed to be listening for?

Anyone speaking against the state, comrade Zátopek,

or perhaps considering leaving the team.

The gentleman has circled the spots he is most interested in.

You can just walk by like a regular tourist.

And take a few pictures.

I don't like it.

I just don't like it, Topek.

Are you going to finish that?

Why do they want you to take pictures?

I have a duty towards our people, our country.

We need reliable information.

What information?

The English invited us to the Olympics

and you're going to spy on them?

It's just a few photos, Dandy, there's nothing wrong with that.

I don't like it.

The cabbage is splendid.

Topek...

Don't play dumb.

You're right.

I don't know how to use a camera anyway.

-Time? -67 seconds.

It's too fast.

Fast is good, isn't it?

That's not how you run the 10k.

My legs will give out in the last lap.

Clock me one more time.

You've run it 15 times already.

I'll run it a hundred times until I get it right, Dana.

Then you know what? Clock it yourself.

-Where are you going? -To practice.

You can't!

I'm competing in London too, you know.

You forgot.

Don't poke your eye out with that stick.

I heard that.

No dinner tonight.

"I leave with a heavy heart, but there is nothing else I can do."

"I'm sorry, Emil. Goodbye. Dana."

-What's his time? -71.

71 is good.

-What did he say? -I don't know.

-73. -73? That's too slow.

Where are those shorts?

He can't see it.

-Topek! -He can't see you.

She's not doing so well today.

She looks tired.

Emil, the silver medal! Congratulations!

Second place, amazing!

Maybe good for you, Alain, but not for me.

Topek...

It says here you are "hero of the day"!

Look.

The hero is always first, Dandy. I came in second.

Big deal! So you're second!

I'm seventh! It's wonderful!

This is the Olympics!

It's not important that you win but that you take part.

I don't care about taking part.

Do you think they'll teach that in school one day?

Ingrová finished a nice seventh at the Olympics!

But it's wonderful that she took part!

I want to win every time.

The ones behind me can take part.

You've really got it tough, huh, Topek?

This is no sport.

When you win, it's easy.

You get a medal, everyone congratulates you,

everyone wants to take a picture with you...

You feel like the whole world is at your feet.

But when you lose, that's useful too, in a way.

That's the moment when you come tumbling off the peak

and down into the valley. And it's calm down there.

You can sit there and think.

Think about what went wrong. Where you made a mistake.

And you can recognize a truly great athlete

not by how they deal with being on top, that's easy,

but by what they do when they end up in that valley.

Do they become discouraged?

Do they stay down there in the shadow?

We all know that moment.

That moment has come for our entire country.

The moment we came tumbling off the peak.

When our efforts were beaten down

by a force we could not stop.

You know...

I always heard that sports and politics were one and the same.

I never understood that, but now I think so, too.

Even the Olympics began long ago in Greece

as a political endeavor:

a moment to put your weapons down

and battle becomes a game of fair play,

where values like honor, fairness and freedom

aren't just slogans.

And today, politics

should take an example from sports. From you!

From you enthusiastic, determined young people

who long for victory but aren't put off by defeat.

I've got my fingers crossed for all of you,

hoping that you make it out of every valley

and up to a new peak,

and most of all that you can live in a country

that will not be satisfied with being in the valley.

A country that will take advantage of the valley

to gather its strength and find its way back to freedom.

Tell him he won't be speaking, OK?

We thank comrade Zátopek for his rousing speech,

and now it's time for our champions!

Do you want to land us all up shit creek?

As long as you can play hero for the youngsters.

Emil, why?

-Mr. Zátopek! -Can we have your autograph?

I'll be happy to, boys. Of course.

So, you're runners. You make me happy.

-Do you enjoy it? -Yes.

Could we have an autograph too, please?

Of course, girls, I'll be happy to.

I'll just finish the boys' first...

-Here you go. -Thank you.

-And you girls are runners too? -Yes.

-Long or short distance? -You should be ashamed!

How dare you talk about honor, you bastard?

You think nobody remembers? Gottwald? Horakova?

Leave us alone.

You stay out of it,

you don't know what kind of a man this Emil is!

What all he'll do to stay out of the "valley".

He doesn't care what he climbs over as long as he's up high!

You and your little Dana! A pair of communist saints!

You don't know what you're talking about so shut up!

How come your bourgeoisie wench can fly all over the world

while others like her have to work the fields?

How many asses did you have to kiss?

You and your bitch of a wife?

You bastard!

A bastard and a Bolshevik swine!

Look who your hero is!

Your dear Emil Zátopek!

You fools fuck off!

-Those clowns! Alright then... -I'll beat you, Topek!

Three, two, one, go!

We both won.

Do you know what time Dana was born?

Dana? In the morning. 7 a.m.

Our Emil was born just after midnight.

He always was fast. Right, Father?

That's good, Colonel.

Our son is older.

I am relieved at last.

Let's drink to that.

-That hits the spot. -I'll go for more.

Thanks, Lojza.

Did you know that Dana's uncle was minister of defense

in the government in exile?

She's a good girl, but from a bad family.

You can take advantage of that, can't you?

A young, good looking pair of Olympians?

A reformed bourgeoisie. People will lose their shit over that.

Where are they anyway?

What's wrong?

I'm so scared, Topek.

Of what?

That we'll be one of those boring married couples.

How could you even think such a thing?

-Come now... -I just don't know.

What are you doing?

What are you doing? Where are you going?

Hang on...

It must never...

become...

boring.

Topek.

Give me that.

It must never...

become...

a prison.

-Dandy. -Dandy.

Uherské Hradiste,

1948.

Deal.

-How many has he done? -He's been here since 6 a.m.

He must have run about forty 400s by now.

That's not how I'd imagine my honeymoon... He's insane.

Insane, but he wins.

-Hi! -Hi.

No loafing around, Standa.

Don't overdo it and hurt yourself.

I don't want to get lazy after the wedding.

Let's go, boys!

Let's go! Let's go, my boys!

-It's cold! -Don't be silly.

It's cold! Yours is warm, right Standa?

-You're nuts. -Lend me some water!

Emil!

Emil!

Don't run off on me afterwards.

We didn't have warm water when I was little.

Emil, you're a famous guy.

Everybody knows you, everybody's talking about you.

Don't exaggerate. All things must pass...

The people love you and the party needs you.

We have to do something for the people.

Emil, are you serious about socialism?

I am serious about socialism.

It needs to be seen.

In socialism you don't run for yourself.

You have to set an example.

For those who work in the factories.

They need to know you're one of them.

That you are theirs.

So, I'm running past Alain Mimoun,

my friend the French runner,

and I ask him what he had for breakfast.

He doesn't even look at me,

he just leans over in a weird way...

I'm thinking, what's he looking for? Has he lost something?

Like maybe the race?

And then I realize, no...

It must be the beans from the English breakfast!

Kids, who likes physical education?

As future athletes, you have to eat healthy.

Drink lots of milk. It has proteins and vitamins.

Eat fruit and vegetables.

Comrade Zátopek, what was it like at the Olympics in London?

-What's your name? -Emilka.

Emilka, call me Emil.

I'll tell you, boys:

there's nothing better

than Czech bread with butter and salt.

Come over here for a photograph! Have you got the medal?

Everybody in!

And there it is!

Unbelievable! Emil Zátopek has beat the one-hour record!

Topek...

Topek...

What?

You're tired already?

No, no, I'm not, Dana.

The guppy gave birth last week. They don't lay eggs.

The bitch ate all her children.

One's hiding behind a rock, his chances don't look good.

I'll overfeed them and see if they leave him alone.

Let me see that.

-You still haven't signed it? -I don't understand it.

I don't understand it either.

They gave it to me at headquarters.

But I need you to sign it. You understand that, I hope.

I don't know these people and I don't know what they did!

Josef, I'm an athlete, a runner.

I'm not much interested in politics.

And that's the problem.

You should be interested.

You're a socialist athlete.

They will stand trial whether you sign or not.

They're enemies of the people.

They wanted to destroy everything we're building here.

How?

They were working with the imperialists

to overthrow communism.

Some of them could easily be American agents, Emil.

You have to realize that everyone has signed it.

Karel Makovcu from the committee, Jindra, Helena...

Almost the whole athletics club.

And those who haven't signed, will. You can count on it.

Nota bene...

How am I supposed to explain that Zátopek, of all people,

refused to sign it?

Whose wife has a problematic background?

Comrades,

the Olympic games are the pinnacle

of every athletic career.

As your head coach I am very proud

and will always stand by your side.

But know that there is only strength in the collective.

The individual means nothing.

-Glory to sports and peace! -Glory!

The moment is approaching when we can show the world

everything that a few years of socialism has been able to do!

And to fuck up.

You brat! Come here!

You can't get past me, sissy.

No, no tickling.

We're all responsible for our actions.

Yes, but not tickling.

No, baldy, no!

Alright then, however you want.

No.

If you do it, you're dead.

I swear. No!

We interrupt the broadcast for the following breaking news.

Early this morning, at Pankrac prison,

pursuant to the verdict of the court,

the following enemies of the state were executed:

Jan Buchal, Zavis Kalandra,

Oldrich Pecl, Milada Horakova...

-Are you alright? -Yeah, yeah...

Acute bronchitis. Just months before Olympic qualifications.

-What can we do, doctor? -It's best he do nothing at all.

Topek, wait for me.

You're supposed to rest and you're still competing.

I feel healthy now. The mountain air does me good.

Come on, Dandy!

Dandy! I don't know if you know what you're doing!

Me? That man did it.

"Never scare a snake with a bare foot."

It's "Tease a snake with a bare foot."

You can't be stupid if you want to be smart.

You missed, snake.

No, leave me alone.

Leave me alone, I'll be nice now.

You will.

I love how cheerful, beautiful, and cheeky you are.

That's why I have such a handsome beau.

I guess we'll have cheerful, beautiful, and cheeky kids.

We sure will.

What's that face?

I'm not making a face.

You look like you don't want them.

And yet you say "sure we will".

Sure we will!

You know how it goes...

You never know what's going to happen.

But you want it.

Sure I do, sweetie.

-But now's not the time. -Why isn't it the time?

I'm almost 30. And I want lots of kids.

Let's talk about it after the Olympics.

That's the important thing now.

What will change after the Olympics?

Then there will be another Olympics.

But it's so nice.

We have such a nice life, Dana. We can travel.

Can you imagine one of us traveling the world

and the other in the house with kids?

Well, when a person wants kids...

then you imagine the beauty of it, not who's going to be home.

I'm not that reckless, just having kids, it's all beautiful,

and then not know what to do with them.

-You don't want kids. -Oh...

-I know you. -No...

I can see it.

My mind is just elsewhere, that's all.

We're going to Helsinki, that's all I care about.

Really. Come on.

And what would you do if I told you I was pregnant?

Are you?

What would you do if I told you I was?

I don't know, that's so...

Emil?

What?

I like straight talk, not these games.

-Am I not a straight talker? -You are, but...

I'm here to relax. I've got nothing more to say.

-I'm not pregnant. -See there?

So everything's fine!

Dana...

-Dana! -Leave me alone.

Get out of my sight.

Emil, don't be silly!

Emil!

Seven weeks' rest. No training.

Do you have the flower?

Yeah, I've got this.

I couldn't find a flower. I took this from the kids.

Is this a joke?

It's Women's Day, there were long lines everywhere.

Don't worry, women love toys.

Josef, do you want sugar or honey?

I'll have honey.

There goes the qualification. You won't have trained enough.

Running's not only about legs.

Right, for you it's about pulling my leg.

Breath, Josef. Breath.

A lot of runners underestimate that.

Dana, please, take care of him,

these games are really important for him.

Dana's going to be training, she can't wait on me.

I know, but she's not throwing well right now.

Emil can bring home a gold.

Definitely.

I'll be happy to tend to the national hero.

Dana's not doing sports anymore, she's got other plans.

Hold that foot straight or I can't bind it.

Can you be gentle? It hurts.

"When you can't take it anymore, go harder," right?

What's that?

It's for you.

Don't be mad at me.

So we're having a dog instead of a child?

Let's get you some water, come on.

Come here, come.

Pedro, come.

Let's go.

My dear comrades,

our team is ready to represent

the sporting spirit of our working people.

It is the first Olympics where our athletes of peace

can show their dominance.

-Emil Zátopek. -Emil Zátopek.

Matousek.

So where? Here.

This is a good spot.

Glory to sports.

-Hi, Stanislav Jungwirth. -Jungwirth...

You're not on the list though, comrade.

What do you mean I'm not on the list, comrade?

Comrade Janecek, comrade Jindra...

-Here. -Jindra!

-Glory to sports. -Glory to sports!

-Zachara. -Zachara.

Glory to sports.

Comrade, this must be a misunderstanding.

Come on, Standa, stop holding us up!

He says I'm not on the list.

That's nonsense, comrade.

Look one more time. Comrade Jungwirth is definitely there.

You can see for yourself, comrade.

Maybe he's supposed to take the next plane in three days.

What plane? The entire team is flying today.

Then perhaps comrade Jungwirth is not supposed to fly at all.

Comrade Jungwirth dutifully prepared

for the whole cycle, four years.

He qualified for the games, he's definitely supposed to fly!

Well he can't. He's not on the list.

Standa, wait here a second.

There's some confusion with Standa.

They won't let him board.

I can't leave him alone in this.

Hang on...

-You go on, it will be fine. -Topek!

You can't do this, comrade. You're on the list.

Let me see.

Now I'm not. I'm terrified of flying

and if Standa's not there to hold my hand

then I won't make it.

Comrade Zátopek,

you know I can't make these kinds of decisions.

Then notify those who can.

Comrade Jungwirth and I will be training.

Come on.

And don't worry. It'll all turn out alright.

Alright, maybe for you.

What do you mean?

You're their boy who breaks one record after another.

My dad's in the slammer for sedition.

All the boys are sick of you playing hotshot,

making them look like trained monkeys,

and you need everyone to like you.

Now you want to play the hero.

I don't give a shit about their Olympics, Emil.

Then why didn't you tell them

you don't give a shit at the airport?

Then I could have gone.

You could have.

Nobody asked you to.

Do you even know what goes on in this country?

The only thing in your head is running.

My dad handed out some fucking fliers and got six years.

You think you're the only one who's got it tough? Huh?

I come from a family of eight. We had nothing to eat.

And now I'm an Olympic winner because I worked hard.

And you worked hard too. You're the best mile runner in Europe.

You have to go, Standa.

So don't be a coward.

I'm no coward, you balding idiot!

You little... Come here!

Standa!

Stop!

Comrade captain?

The colonel wants a word with you.

Let's go then.

-Let me help you, young lady. -Thanks.

Dana, we can say he'll be arriving later,

but I need him here.

Why are you telling me?

What can I do about it? I'm here.

Let Jungwirth come, then he'll come.

Dana, don't be crazy.

Jungwirth can't come, his father's a public enemy.

I need your help here, please.

It's up to Emil.

He'll listen to you, he won't listen to anyone else.

Leave me alone already.

I helped you out and now you're going to leave me in a pinch?

That idiot is going to have the whole world laughing at us.

Don't ever talk about him like that.

You're supposed to be running! Winning medals!

And not getting involved in things you know fuck all about

and that are none of your fucking business.

Jungwirth is not going.

-In that case, neither am I. -Enough!

Since when do you talk back to me?

Yes?

Josef. Are you home? Can I stop by?

Yes, come over.

Hi.

Did he have anything to do with your little speech today?

No.

We're eating dinner, do you want some?

No.

-Beer? -Yeah.

Do you think it helps anyone if you're in prison?

Do you think I'll get you out of every problem you create?

It's your decision.

All I know is that tomorrow

it will be discussed at headquarters.

They want to throw you out of the party and the army.

And you'll end up with gypsies swinging a pickaxe.

Who?

-What do you mean "who"? -Who wants to throw me out?

Who do you think? Them. Headquarters.

-Bullshit. -What "bullshit"?

Bullshit.

And you know I don't swear. And now I'm saying bullshit.

Bullshit.

Bullshit. Bullshit. Big bullshit.

Because I know you say "them", but it's you.

I'll tell you something, Josef:

You're a right bastard and a scoundrel, you're not a friend.

You're saying that to me?

The one who's stood up for you the whole time

and kept you under my wing?

You should have been keeping an eye on Dana.

You can't throw me out!

You're finished! You understand that?

The official version is that you were rehabbing your leg.

And you'll stick to that story. In front of everyone.

What are you doing?

Funny, huh? Then go tell them

how many medals you're going to win.

Because if you don't win, then back in Prague

you can expect hell on Earth for that Jungwirth thing.

-Hi. -Hi.

I brought you this for good luck.

You forgot it at home on the dresser.

-Aren't you happy? -I am.

You don't say.

-Has something happened, Dandy? -No, no.

I can see something's wrong.

This isn't the right time, Topek.

We have to concentrate, this might be our last Olympics.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are broadcasting live

as we follow the world's best runners

in the 10,000 meter race.

-Hey, buddy. -Emil, how are you?

I hope you won't whimper when you come in 2nd, like in London.

Second place is good for you, not for me!

-Good luck, my friend. -To you too.

Well well! Where did you come from?

Whose dog are you?

Hang on!

Wait, I'll get you!

Come here!

Hey, come on!

Come here!

My fellow athletes, comrades, in the name of all working people,

I want to thank you for your exemplary representation

of our socialist republic.

I ask the head coach to assess day one of the Olympic Games.

You ran well, Topek.

All our team members deserve praise.

We held our own in every event.

I would particularly like to mention boxer Jan Zachara,

who has won the gold medal.

Canoeist Jindra in the tough 10 km race

took third place and a bronze medal.

As expected, comrade Zátopek

achieved a success, winning the gold.

If not for serious problems with his conduct

he'd be a pretty good

representative of Czechoslovakia.

Today we can expect another tough day,

so glory to sports, and honor to labor!

Boys, what are you doing?

What's that Boy Scout stuff? Dynamics! Tempo!

Jarda, footwork!

The 5k is going to be very tough.

Schade set a record in the heats.

I know.

At least it will be fast-paced.

-Hi. -Hi.

Listen, judging by the heats in the 5000m,

you'll finish fifth at best.

You're not prepared. You shouldn't run.

This is the biggest race here!

You can't just cross me off it. I want to run.

You can't do that to me.

Josef, you're just standing there, say something.

Me? I'm not the coach.

You have a gold medal. You'll be remembered as a winner.

This is because of Jungwirth.

Jarda!

Dance on those feet a bit.

That's it: front, front, back, boom.

The last heat of the day is underway.

Things are quite even as the runners reach the last lap.

In front is Rolf Lamers of Germany,

Czechoslovak Stanislav Jungwirth is currently in 2nd place.

Don't be nervous.

-It's just the heats. -The tempo is good,

the time looks to be about 3 minutes 50 seconds.

Standa will easily be first, you'll see.

Making their way to the front are Josy Barthel of Luxembourg,

and popular Swede Ingvar Ericsson. Very exciting.

They don't want me to run the 5 km.

Why not?

-That's nonsense. -His legs are going stiff.

Standa, go harder!

-We are in the home stretch. -Run lightly!

Josy Barthel races ahead like a bullet

and wins by a wide margin.

The first six runners will advance to the final.

A terrible blow to young Czechoslovak Stanislav Jungwirth

who has finished seventh and is disqualified.

The next heat will begin in half an hour.

Where are you going?

Standa!

Standa!

Standa!

Come here.

What's this?

It'll be fine.

So you got seventh place.

Legs locked up on you, huh? You'll be 1st next time...

FINNISH

I had to promise you wouldn't do anything stupid.

-You didn't have to. -I didn't?

If I hadn't then you wouldn't be running.

You have no idea how badly you pissed them off, Emil.

You're only running thanks to me.

Never mind. This isn't going to be an easy race.

Josef, please, stop talking.

And that's the start of this great race

which the whole world is watching.

And Zátopek remains in the first group of the race

right there with Anufriyev in very good cooperation.

What's he doing? Is he trying to lose on purpose?

Emil!

Run!

As we speak, right under our microphone,

Zátopek is fighting to move up a place.

He quickly passes a group of runners,

he's now in fifth place right behind Mimoun.

And Zátopek is moving to the front.

Herbert!

Come two laps with me.

Zátopek is now in the lead. Herbert Schade behind him.

And now Schade again, to cheers from the stands.

Schade, Mimoun, Chataway, Zátopek.

He was showing off unnecessarily...

And here it is, ladies and gentlemen,

this is the climax of the Olympic Games!

The stands are now crying "Zátopek! Zátopek!"

And Zátopek is fighting,

encouraged by more than 70,000 fans here in Helsinki.

And Zátopek is taking the lead!

My friends, what we are witnessing is an amazing race!

Zátopek falls back to fourth place...

The runners are taking the final turn at a riveting pace...

And Emil Zátopek is on the verge of a tremendous finish,

we cannot truly be seeing this, it must be a dream!

Chataway falls in the last turn, a huge misfortune!

Zátopek is in a bitter struggle with Frenchman Mimoun.

Zátopek is about to make a beautiful finish.

They are in the home stretch,

Zátopek with a four-meter lead...

That's it! Zátopek has won!

Alain Mimoun second, and German Schade in 3rd place.

Zátopek has won the gold in the 5000m race.

What Emil did today in this beautiful contest

was something the world has never seen!

Emil embraces his challenger and close friend, Alain Mimoun.

A gesture symbolic of these Olympic Games,

a gesture between great rivals and great athletes.

Thank you!

So, I could hardly make it any further,

I was practically tripping over myself,

and suddenly I see the boys in front

looking like they're wilting,

they're not doing much better than I am.

So I thought, I'm not coming in fourth,

there's no medal for that.

So, I closed my eyes and put it in full drive

and bam-- I started legging it.

And when I opened my eyes I was across the finish line.

I am very pleased that I could win my second gold

in the homeland of my great role model, Paavo Nurmi.

Mrs. Zátopková, you were not tipped to win originally.

Were you even hoping for a gold medal and an Olympic record?

Well, I practiced a lot,

but I wasn't thinking about the gold...

Dana wants to say she was inspired by her husband.

Try inspiring another girl and see if she throws 50 meters.

It's true, his times haven't been the best of late,

but we firmly believed that our “Topek”, comrade Zátopek,

would be victorious.

Our entire Czechoslovak Sports Union

did all it could to that end...

Dana...

Dandy...

I didn't mean it that way, it was just a bit of fun.

That's what we promised each other at the wedding, remember?

Well the main thing is that you had a good time.

Now leave me alone.

I thought you had a sense of humor.

Come here.

I won a gold medal, Emil.

But that was only thanks to you.

You are so selfish.

If someone had done that to you...

If someone did it to me then I'd laugh too.

You told me the Olympics were the most important thing for us.

But you're full of it, Emil. Full of it!

If they were, you wouldn't have stayed in Prague

for Standa Jungwirth!

He's the best mile runner in Europe.

It would have been unfair!

You're one to talk about fair.

You, who are so self-absorbed.

You couldn't care less about me, Emil.

-About what I want. -What do you want, Dana?

You know full well.

Then you should have married some farmer from Hradiste

if the only thing you want in life is to bear children.

I guess I should have.

Dana...

Helsinki, July 25, 1952.

The streets to the stadium are lined

by tens of thousands of people.

The greatest race of the Olympics is being run today,

the 42-kilometer marathon.

Our own Emil Zátopek

has shocked the whole world by entering the race,

a distance he has never run. Many consider it sheer madness.

Can he even finish the race?

And they're off!

The favorite of the race,

Peters, immediately takes the lead...

Our own Emil Zátopek is right there with him

giving the other runners a hand signal,

perhaps for them to line up, I really don't know.

Let's just hope this merciless race goes better for the runners

than the marathon at the London Olympics

where Belgian Étienne Gailly collapsed.

You're going to kill him for the sake of a stupid medal!

I had no idea about it. This was his idea.

He's an adult, Dana.

He has no idea how to run this race.

Then why the hell is he running it?

Pain and suffering...

that is the boundary

that separates the boys from the men.

Run!

And here he is! Running into the Helsinki Olympic stadium.

The first runner, #903, it is Czechoslovak Emil Zátopek!

Zátopek! Zátopek...

I'm sorry, I just cannot go on.

Please, forgive me, Dandy.

This is Ron Clarke.

No begging.

♪ Four oxen, four, and two horses ♪

♪ Much to my dear wife’s remorses ♪

♪ Two studs And four oxen, four ♪

♪ Could have bought two hats or more ♪

Look, the Zátopeks.

That's Zátopek!

Hi!