Ludvík Daněk

Ludvík Daněk

Personal information
Nationality	Czech
Born	6 January 1937 Blansko, Czechoslovakia
Died	15 November 1998 (aged 61) Hutisko-Solanec, Czech Republic
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	123 kg (271 lb)
Sport
Country	Czechoslovakia
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Discus throw
Club	Spartak Brno, Sparta Praha
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	67.18 m (1974)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing Czechoslovakia Olympic Games 1964 Tokyo Discus throw 1968 Mexico Discus throw 1972 Munich Discus throw European Championships 1971 Helsinki Discus throw 1974 Rome Discus throw

Ludvík Daněk (Czech pronunciation: [ˈludviːk ˈdaɲɛk]) (6 January 1937 in Blansko – 15 November 1998 in Hutisko-Solanec near Vsetín) was a Czechoslovak discus thrower, who won the gold medal at the 1972 Olympic Games with a throw of 64.40 m (211'3").

Daněk competed in four Summer Olympics for Czechoslovakia, winning silver in 1964 Olympics, bronze in 1968 Olympics and gold in 1972 Olympics. He set three world records in discus throw, of 64.55 m in 1964, 65.22 m in 1965 and of 66.07 m in 1966. He also won several medals at the European Athletics Championships. He was the gold medallist at the 1971 European Athletics Championships and was the silver medallist three years later at the 1974 European Athletics Championships.

After retiring from competitions Daněk became a sports administrator, and served as vice-president of the Czech athletics federation. The location where he set his first world record in 1964 is now celebrated with a memorial circle, and the venue in Turnov is now called the Ludvík Daněk Stadium. Since 1999, the year following his death, the stadium has hosted an annual track and field meeting in his honour – the Ludvík Daněk Memorial.

Major competitions

• 1964: Olympic Games: 2nd place (60.52)
• 1966: European Championships: 5th place (56.24)
• 1968: Olympic Games: 3rd place (62.92)
• 1969: European Championships: 4th place (59.30)
• 1971: European Championships: 1st place (63.90)
• 1972: Olympic Games: 1st place (64.40)
• 1974: European Championships: 2nd place (62.76)
• 1976: Olympic Games: 9th place (61.28)

References

Records
Preceded by Al Oerter	Men's Discus World Record Holder 2 August 1964 – 25 May 1968	Succeeded by Jay Silvester
Preceded by Vladimir Trusenyov	Men's Discus European Record Holder 10 May 1964 – 21 September 1969	Succeeded by Ricky Bruch