Olga Fikotova, a Czechoslovakian athlete, won the gold medal in the women’s discus throw in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. She competed against two Soviet throwers, Nina Ponomareva and Irina Beglyakova, ultimately winning the gold with a throw of 53.69 meters. After the competition, she faced adversity when she sought permission to marry an American athlete, Harold Connolly, as some viewed her as a traitor. However, with the help of national hero Emil Zatopek, she received the permit and the couple married in Prague with tens of thousands in attendance.
Olga and Hal moved to the US, where she competed in four more Olympics under the name Olga Connolly. She had success in the discus throw, finishing seventh in 1960 and sixth in 1968, as well as winning five national titles. Despite challenges from the Czech Olympic committee, who claimed she had refused to train at home, she continued to compete. In 1972, she was voted to lead the American contingent into the Olympic Stadium at the Munich Games, despite opposition for her outspokenness on the Vietnam War. She later published a book about her love story with Hal, but they divorced in 1975.
After her athletic career, Olga became a passionate environmentalist and animal rights campaigner. She worked as an exercise therapist at the University of California at Irvine until 2017, and then moved to Las Vegas to work at a fitness club. She continued to stay active and involved in sports, noting in 2015 that competing in the Olympics had been a wonderful experience for her. Olga and Hal had four children, one of whom became a college decathlon champion, another a Golden Gloves boxer, and a daughter who played volleyball for the US.
Olga Fikotova’s story is one of overcoming obstacles and challenges in pursuit of her athletic dreams and love for her husband. Despite facing backlash from her home country and the Olympic committee, she continued to compete and make a name for herself in the sport. Her legacy extends beyond her athletic achievements, as she became a vocal advocate for environmental causes and animal rights. She passed away in 2020, leaving behind a legacy of perseverance, passion, and love for the sports world and the world at large. Her story serves as an inspiration for athletes and activists alike, showing the power of determination and the pursuit of one’s dreams, regardless of the obstacles faced.
