Commemorative sheet Věra Čáslavská

Věra Čáslavská was an unrivaled athlete whose record for the most gold medals has yet to be broken by any Olympic gymnast. She also became an icon of courage and resilience. A commemorative note—a commemorative note in the form of a banknote—pays tribute to her.

Věra Čáslavská was truly an exceptional woman. Her efforts made her the most successful Czech female athlete of all time, and her courage gave hope to an entire nation… She became a seven-time Olympic champion, a four-time world champion, an eleven-time European champion, and in 1968 was named the world’s best female athlete. That year, she became the heroine of the Olympic Games in Mexico, where she won four gold and two silver medals. When the Soviet anthem played during the medal ceremony, the gymnast turned her head away. In doing so, she expressed her opposition to the recent invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops and earned immense sympathy not only for herself but also for her occupied homeland. Even at the cost of her own sacrifice… “Those who take risks, stand up to the world, and face it with courage will be rewarded with a great prize—self-respect,” she said.

The commemorative stamp, designed by academic painter Rudolf Cigánik and Stanislav Trokšiara, features Věra Čáslavská’s charming face with her characteristic smile and hairstyle, as well as her perfectly toned physique. Among the additional motifs, you will also find Olympic symbolism.

The sheet, which features a range of advanced security features, was printed by the State Printing Office in a run of 2,000 copies. While the first 1,000 copies can be purchased separately, the second half of the print run is an integral part of commemorative coins, which are also available from the Czech Mint.