The protest of the American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos in Olympics 1968, in Mexico City, was not the only politic landmark of that competition.
There was also Vera Caslavska, the Czech gymnast that were at that time a winner but became the most popular athlete of that Olympics as a result of her political attitude.
In June 1968, during the Spring of Prague (movement that tried to implement some democracy for Czechs), Vera signed a manifest pro democracy in her country. But two months later Soviet Union troops invaded Prague and with tanks tried to smash the democratic movement. And Vera decided to run away to the mountains.
She tried to disappear but was back weeks before the Olympics. And was brilliant as she used to be and got six medals. There were applauses in every of her presentations even before the proves.
Despite all her success in Mexico, Vera became a persona non grata by the Czech new regime. She was forced into retirement and was not allowed to travel or attend sporting events.
The situation of Vera improved just after 1989, when the Soviet empire ruined.
But she has become an endless symbol of 1968, with the support she received from Mexicans and from citizens of other countries. It was unusual to an athlete to do this. But we were in 1968, remember?
Vera, the number one. Always.
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