Vera Cáslavská, the most successful Czechoslovak sportswoman and the fourth most successful Olympic sportswoman globally, won seven gold and four silver medals. After her 1968 Mexico City Olympics victory, she became the second most popular woman after Jacqueline Kennedy. In 1968, she signed the 2000 Words Manifesto, which she never retracted. Despite her fame, she faced a troubled life due to political issues, marriage, and family tragedy. Her story reflects Czech society during both communist and democratic regimes, where she was active in the civil sphere. She views her sports career as fleeting fame compared to her challenging life. Now 68, 42 years after her sports career, she remains admired in the Czech Republic and Japan. Her life is a unique chapter in Czech history.

This documentary film acquaints us with the life and sporting successes of the runner Emil Zátopek. Family photographs are used to reconstruct the athlete’s childhood, his enthusiasm for sport, and his meeting with his wife Dana. The movie presents Zátopek’s specific training methods whilst highlighting the runner’s determination and tenacity. With the aid of original newsreels, it recalls his string of racing successes (the Olympic Games in London in 1948, in Helsinki in 1952, etc.).