Still Running (weakly). Issue 64

PAST – inspiration – In the 1948 Olympics, Emil Zatopek of Czechoslovakia, then an unknown, won the 10,000 metres on 30th July easily. He came back the next day to qualify for the 5,000 final. Then, two days later, on 2ndAugust, he took part in that final in dreadful conditions. 40 yards behind Belgian Gaston Reiff with a lap to go, Zatopek, according to onlookers, “went mad,” sprinting through the sodden cinders and reeling Reiff in, but failing by 0.2 of a second to win gold.

Such a failure – one Olympic gold, one silver – had to be atoned for. Four years later, at the Helsinki Olympics, Zatopek duly won the 10,000 on 20th July, qualified in his 5,000 heat two days later, and then won a crazy four-man sprint on the 24thto seal the 5,000-10,000 double.

Still not satisfied, he turned out in his first marathon three days later, winning that easily too, to complete an unprecedented Olympic distance treble.

When Lasse Viren of Finland tried to do the same in 1976, he won the 5 and 10, but could only come fifth in the longest race.

PRESENT – perspiration – Sifan Hassan’s schedule in Paris was as ambitious as Zatopek’s. Deciding at the last minute to ditch the 1500, she ‘only’ went for the 5,000 (heat on the 2ndAugust and final on the 5th – bronze), the 10,000 on the 9th(bronze again), and the marathon on the 11th (gold.)

Experts have obviously compared her with Zatopek, contending that competition in 2024 is far more intense than it was in 1952, and judging Hassan’s to be the more impressive feat.

I disagree, and I would make two points. An athlete can only compete against his or her peers: Zatopek’s rivals like Mimoun (1 Olympic gold and 3 silvers), Schade (Olympic bronze), Pirie (Olympic silver), Chataway (Commonwealth gold) and Reiff (Olympic gold) were no pushovers, and anyway Zatopek could not become his own grandchild (and compete now) in order to match the Dutchwoman.

Secondly, he got three golds, not two bronzes and a gold. For a runner with Hassan’s closing speed, I am going to stick my neck out and say that it was comparatively straightforward for her to pick off those two third places on the track. The fatigue in her legs during the marathon would have been far different if she had had to dig as deep during her 10,000, as Zatopek did in his 5,000 – on postwar rations, on unforgiving cinders and without the help of today’s super-shoes.

Their times are also interesting to compare: Zatopek’s 14:06.6, 29:17.0 and 2:23:03 with Hassan’s 14:30.61, 30:44.12 and 2:22:55.

FUTURE – suggestion – Zatopek was famous for training almost constantly. Leaving to one side his sessions of 60x400 metres on the track day after day, when circumstances constrained him, he found a way. Even on national service, on sentry duty, he ran on the spot and held his breath till he blacked out. When his wife Dana (also an Olympic gold medallist – javelin 1952) urged him to help a bit more around the house, he piled their dirty clothes into the bath, with soap and water, and ran on them till he had pummelled them clean. When Dana broke her foot, he ran with her on his back.

So don’t tell me you can’t do something!!