For over a century, the people of Czech Republic have participated in the international Olympics. For Czechs, these Summer Games are an important opportunity and cultural source of pride. Their history is filled with magnificent, successful Olympic athletes and the Czechs do not plan to stop anytime soon, as there are many established athletes from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics coming back for the Paris 2024 Olympics, not to mention countless other Czech athletes competing. The most popular games to watch for Czech pride are Volleyball, Track and field, Archery, and Shooting, among others.
Pride, Country, and a Balance Beam
Věra Čáslavská was a Czechoslovakian Olympian gymnast, born in May 3, 1942 and raised in Prague. Her sense of pride came from more than her sport, as it centered around her love for Czechoslovakia and her people, such that she signed the Two Thousand Words manifesto during Prague Spring. Even through possible persecution she continued to train for the Olympics. After the Olympics, the persecution continued, but she remained resolute though her life, earning her the love of the Czechoslovakian people.
Věra Čáslavská: Athlete and Activist
Athletes have long been using their high-visibility platforms to comment on social issues and raise awareness. Věra Čáslavská, a gymnast from the now Czech Republic, is not only famous for her unparalleled success at the Olympic Games but her strong stance against the Soviet invasion of her country.