Josef Odložil

Who was Josef Odložil?

Josef Odložil was a Czech middle distance runner. He was a national champion many times in the 1960s, but had mixed success at the international level.

At his first ever major competition, the 1962 European Championships in Belgrade, Odložil was eliminated in the 800 metres semi-final. Two years later he decided to try at the 1500 metres, bringing himself fame at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

The 1500 m final in Tokyo was won easily by Peter Snell from New Zealand. Josef Odložil managed to run for silver in the same time as Snell's compatriot John Davies, who reached bronze. In 1965 Josef Odložil set a world record on 2000 m.

The 1966 European Championships were disastrous for Odložil as he was eliminated already in the heats. He did better again at the European Indoor Championships in Prague, taking silver in the 1500m.

The wedding in Mexico during the 1968 Summer Olympics of Josef Odložil and Věra Čáslavská, the Czechoslovak seven-fold Olympic Champion in gymnastics, attracted wide public attention.