Czechoslovakia at the 1920 Summer Olympics

Czechoslovakia competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. It was the first time that the nation had competed at the Summer Olympic Games, after the republic was founded in 1918. Previously, Bohemia had competed at the Olympic Games from 1900 to 1912.

Czechoslovakia at the
1920 Summer Olympics
IOC codeTCH
NOCCzechoslovak Olympic Committee
in Antwerp
Competitors121 in 13 sports
Flag bearerLadislav Žemla[1]
Medals
Ranked 21st
Gold
0
Silver
0
Bronze
2
Total
2
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
Other related appearances
 Bohemia (1900–1912)
 Czech Republic (1994–)
 Slovakia (1994–)

Medalists

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Medal Name Sport Event Date
  Bronze Karel Hartmann
Vilém Loos
Jan Palouš
Jan Peka
Karel Pešek
Josef Šroubek
Otakar Vindyš
Karel Wälzer
Ice hockey Men's April 29
  Bronze Milada Skrbková
Ladislav Žemla
Tennis Mixed doubles August 24

Aquatics

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Swimming

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Four swimmers, all male, represented Czechoslovakia in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport as well as the Olympics. None of the swimmers were able to advance to the finals.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Men
Swimmer Event Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Václav Bucháček 100 m free 1:19.2 2 Q Unknown 5 Did not advance
Alois Hrášek 400 m free Unknown 4 Did not advance
1500 m free Unknown 5 Did not advance
Emanuel Prüll 1500 m free Unknown 5 Did not advance
Eduard Stibor 200 m breast Unknown 5 Did not advance
400 m breast Unknown 5 Did not advance

Water polo

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Czechoslovakia competed in the Olympic water polo tournament for the first time in 1920. A modified version of the Bergvall System was in use at the time. The team was shut out in both of its games, first by Sweden in the round of 16 and then by the Netherlands in the bronze medal quarterfinals.

  • Squad
Round of 16
Sweden   11–0   Czechoslovakia Antwerp
Bronze medal quarterfinals
Netherlands   7–0   Czechoslovakia Antwerp
Final rank
11th

Athletics

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16 athletes represented Czechoslovakia in the country's Olympics debut in 1920. The best result for the team was Vohralík's 4th-place finish in the 1500 metres, just 1.6 seconds behind the bronze medal winner.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Athlete Event Heats Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Karel Frankenstein 400 m 52.5 3 Did not advance
800 m 6 Did not advance
Eduard Hašek 100 m 4 Did not advance
František Kiehlmann 400 m hurdles 59.9 3 Q Did not advance
František Marek 110 m hurdles 4 Did not advance
400 m hurdles 4 Did not advance
Karel Pacák 5000 m 8 Did not advance
10000 m 11 Did not advance
Vojtěch Plzák 100 m 4 Did not advance
200 m 23.4 1 Q 23.1 4 Did not advance
Karel Přibyl 400 m 54.0 3 Did not advance
800 m 8 Did not advance
Jaroslav Procházka 800 m 5 Did not advance
Adolf Reich 110 m hurdles 4 Did not advance
Josef Šlehofer 3 km walk Disqualified Did not advance
10 km walk Did not finish Did not advance
Josef Teplý 800 m 2:00.6 7 Did not advance
Václav Vohralík 1500 m 4:02.2 1 Q 4:08.0 4
Athlete Event Qualifying Final
Result Rank Result Rank
František Hoplíček Discus throw 36.75 13 Did not advance
František Šretr Long jump 5.55 26 Did not advance
Triple jump No mark 20 Did not advance
František Stejskal Triple jump No mark 20 Did not advance
High jump 1.65 16 Did not advance
Ardy Vydra Javelin throw 37.75 24 Did not advance
Athlete Event Final
Result Rank
Eduard Hašek Decathlon Did not finish

Cycling

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Four cyclists represented Czechoslovakia in the nation's Olympic debut 1920. The four cyclists competed in the road time trials, placing ninth as a team. Procházka was the best of the four, finishing 34th individually.

Road cycling

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Cyclist Event Final
Result Rank
Ladislav Janoušek Time trial 5:29:23.4 36
František Kundert Time trial 5:38:07.0 39
Josef Procházka Time trial 5:23:31.4 34
Bohumil Rameš Time trial 5:40:00.0 40
Ladislav Janoušek
František Kundert
Josef Procházka
Bohumil Rameš
Team time trial 22:10:01.8 9

Fencing

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Nine fencers represented Czechoslovakia in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. The country had two individual fencers reach semifinals, but neither advanced to a final. The nation's teams were unsuccessful in team competitions, unable to win a single bout.

Ranks given are within the group.

Fencer Event First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Jan Černohorský Épée 1–8 10 Did not advance
František Dvořák Foil N/A 2–4 4 Did not advance
Josef Javůrek Épée 2–7 10 Did not advance
Foil N/A 3–5 6 Did not advance
Sabre N/A 3–3 5 Q 3–3 5 Did not advance
Josef Jungmann Épée 4–4 5 Q 1–9 11 Did not advance
Foil N/A 1–5 6 Did not advance
Antonín Mikala Foil N/A 1–4 5 Did not advance
Jaroslav Šourek Sabre N/A 3–5 7 Did not advance
Otakar Švorčík Épée 4–4 4 Q 1–9 11 Did not advance
Viliam Tvrský Épée 1–7 9 Did not advance
Foil N/A 6–2 3 Q 1–4 5 Did not advance
Sabre N/A 2–5 7 Did not advance
Zdeněk Vávra Sabre N/A 3–4 5 Did not advance
František Dvořák
Josef Javůrek
Antony Mikala
Viliam Tvrský
Team foil[2] N/A 0–5 5 Did not advance
Jan Černohorský
Josef Javůrek
Josef Jungmann
Otakar Švorčík
Zdeněk Vávra
Team épée[2] N/A 0–5 5 Did not advance
František Dvořák
Josef Javůrek
Josef Jungmann
Antony Mikala
Otakar Švorčík
Team sabre[2] N/A 0–7 6

Football

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Czechoslovakia competed in the Olympic football tournament for the first time. The squad started strong, outscoring opponents 15 to 1 in the first three rounds to qualify for the final. There the team fell behind 2–0 to Belgium before abandoning the match in protest in the 40th minute. Czechoslovakia, which was not guaranteed the silver medal by advancing to the final due to the use of the Bergvall System, was disqualified from the competition, losing the opportunity to play in the second-place tournament. [1] Archived 2012-01-18 at the Wayback Machine

First round
Czechoslovakia  7–0  Yugoslavia
Vanik   20'   46'   79'
Janda   34'   50'   75'
Sedláček   43'
Report
Attendance: 600
Referee: Rafael van Praag (NED)
Quarterfinals
Czechoslovakia  4–0  Norway
Vanik   8'
Janda   17'   66'   77'
Report
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Charles Barette (BEL)
Semifinals
Czechoslovakia  4–1  France
Mazal   18'   75'   87'
Steiner   70'
Report Boyer   79'
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Johannes Mutters (NED)
Final
Belgium  2–0  Czechoslovakia
Coppée   6' (pen.)
Larnoe   30'
Report
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: John Lewis (GBR)
Final rank
Disqualified

Gymnastics

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Sixteen gymnasts represented Czechoslovakia in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport, though Bohemia had competed three times previously. No gymnasts competed in the individual all-around, and the country sent a team in only one of the three team events. That team took fourth place out of five.

Artistic gymnastics

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Gymnast Event Final
Result Rank
Josef Bochníček
Ladislav Bubeníček
Josef Čada
Stanislav Indruch
Miroslav Klinger
Josef Malý
Zdeněk Opočenský
Josef Pagáč
František Pecháček
Robert Pražák
Václav Stolař
Svatopluk Svoboda
Ladislav Vácha
František Vaněček
Jaroslav Velda
Václav Wirt
Team 305.255 4

Ice hockey

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Czechoslovakia competed in the inaugural Olympic ice hockey tournament. The team took a bronze medal, thanks in large part to the use of the Bergvall System in the tournament. This system allowed the team to continue competing despite an early loss. Czechoslovakia was blown out by Canada, 15 to nil, in the quarterfinals. Because Canada went on to win the gold medal, the Bergvall System operated to put Czechoslovakia in the silver medal tournament; there, the team received a bye in the semifinals and went immediately to play against the United States in the silver medal match. The Americans did Canada one better, beating Czechoslovakia 16 to nothing. Still the Czechoslovakian team was not done; having lost only to the gold and silver medalists, the team competed for the bronze medal. Again Czechoslovakia received a semifinal bye, facing Sweden in the bronze medal match. This time, they were on the right end of the shutout, beating the Swedes 1 to zero to finish in third place.

Roster

Coach:   Adolf Dušek

Pos Player GP G Birthdate Age
R Karel Hartmann 3 0 July 6, 1885 34
F Vilém Loos 3 0 September 20, 1895 24
D Jan Palouš 3 0 October 25, 1888 31
G Jan Peka 2 0 July 27, 1894 25
F Karel Pešek 3 0 September 20, 1895 24
F Josef Šroubek 3 1 December 2, 1891 28
D Otto Vindyš 3 0 April 9, 1884 36
G Karel Wälzer 1 0 August 28, 1888 31
G Karel Kotrbá 0
Gold medal quarterfinals
24 April 1920
21:30
Canada  15 – 0
(7–0, 8–0)
  CzechoslovakiaPalais de Glace d'Anvers
Game reference
Walter ByronGoaliesJan Peka
Halderson (7)
Fredrickson (4)
Goodman (2)
Woodman
Johannesson
Goals
0 minPenalties0 min
Silver medal match
28 April 1920
22:00
  United States  16 – 0
(7–0, 9–0)
  CzechoslovakiaPalais de Glace d'Anvers
Game reference
Cy WeidenbornerGoaliesJan PekaReferee:
  Paul Loicq
L. McCormick (7)
Drury (4)
Conroy (2)
Goheen
J. McCormick
Synott
Goals
0 minPenalties0 min
Bronze medal match
29 April 1920
23:00
  Czechoslovakia  1 – 0
(1–0, 0–0)
  SwedenPalais de Glace d'Anvers
Game reference
Karel WälzerGoaliesSeth HowanderReferee:
  Frank Fredrickson
Šroubek1 – 0
0 minPenalties0 min
2Shots48
Final rank
  Bronze

Rowing

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Fifteen rowers represented Czechoslovakia in the nation's debut in 1920 (Bohemia had competed in rowing once, in 1912). The nation sent three boats, each of which came in last in their initial heats in its event and did not advance.

Ranks given are within the heat.

Rower Cox Event Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
Result Rank Result Rank Result Rank
Gustav Zinke N/A Single sculls Unknown 3 Did not advance
Jindřich Mulač
Jaroslav Oplt
Dominik Štillip
Jiří Wihan
Jan Bauch Coxed four N/A Unknown 3 Did not advance
Ferdinand Brožek
Bohdan Kallmünzer
Jiří Kallmünzer
Emil Ordnung
Ivan Schweizer
Josef Širc
Vladimír Širc
Otakar Votík
Karel Čížek Eight 6:43.0 2 Did not advance

Shooting

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Eight shooters represented Czechoslovakia in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport as well as the Olympics.

Shooter Event Final
Result Rank
Antonín Brych 300 m free rifle, 3 pos. Unknown
Rudolf Jelen 300 m free rifle, 3 pos. Unknown
Václav Kindl 300 m free rifle, 3 pos. Unknown
Josef Linert 300 m free rifle, 3 pos. Unknown
Josef Sucharda 300 m free rifle, 3 pos. Unknown
František Bláha
Antonín Brych
Václav Kindl
František Procházka
Josef Štojdl
50 m team free pistol Did not finish
Antonín Brych
Rudolf Jelen
Václav Kindl
Josef Linert
Josef Sucharda
Team free rifle 3542 14
300 m team military rifle, prone 271 10
300 m team military rifle, standing 200 14
600 m team military rifle, prone 258 11
300 & 600 m team military rifle, prone 536 8

Tennis

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Seven tennis players, including one woman, competed for Czechoslovakia in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport as well as the Olympics, though Bohemia had competed three times. Three of the Czechoslovakian men had previously competed. Skrbková, the lone woman, did not compete in the singles but only as part of a mixed pair with Žemla-Rázný. That pair won the bronze medal, contributing three of the nation's four match wins in 1920. Žemla-Rázný was also involved in the fourth, as part of a men's pair with Ardelt which won its first match before being defeated. The other two men's pairs, as well as all four men's singles players, were defeated in their first match.

Player Event Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals Rank
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Opposition
Score
Karel Ardelt Men's singles Bye   Beamish (GBR)
L 6–2, 6–4, 6–3
Did not advance 17
Jaroslav Just Men's singles   Alonso (ESP)
L 6–3, 2–6, 6–0, 6–2
Did not advance 32
Otto Woffek Men's singles   Beamish (GBR)
L 6–1, 6–3, 6–4
Did not advance 32
Ladislav Žemla-Rázný Men's singles Bye   Malström (SWE)
L 4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 7–5
Did not advance 17
Karel Ardelt
Ladislav Žemla-Rázný
Men's doubles N/A   Laloux & Laloux (BEL)
W 6–2, 6–4, 6–4
  Norton & Raymond (RSA)
L 6–1, 6–4, 6–4
Did not advance 9
Bohuslav Hykš-Černý
Jaroslav Just
Men's doubles N/A Bye   Blanchy & Brugnon (FRA)
L 6–1, 6–2, 6–4
Did not advance 9
Milada Skrbková
Ladislav Žemla-Rázný
Mixed doubles N/A Bye   Dupont & Laloux (BEL)
W 7–5, 6–4
  Halot & Storms (BEL)
W 7–5, 6–3
  McKane & Woosnam (GBR)
L 9–7, 6–3
  Hansen & Tegner (DEN)
W 8–6, 6–4
 
František Týř
Otto Woffek
Men's doubles N/A Bye   Turnbull & Woosnam (GBR)
L 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
Did not advance 9

Weightlifting

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Two weightlifters represented Czechoslovakia in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport as well as the Games. Wágner placed fifth and Dvořák took eighth in their respective weight classes.

Weightlifter Weight class Final
Result Rank
Jaroslav Dvořák 82.5 kg 227.5 8
Ludvík Wágner 60 kg 195.0 5

Wrestling

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Ten wrestlers, two in each of the Greco-Roman weight classes, competed for Czechoslovakia in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport as well as the Games, though Bohemia had competed twice previously. Czechoslovakia had no freestyle wrestlers in 1920.

Greco-Roman

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Wrestler Event Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals Rank
Silver quarters Silver semis Silver match
Bronze quarters Bronze semis Bronze match
Jan Balej Greco-Roman middle Bye   Corsanego (ITA) (W)   Lindfors (FIN) (L) Did not advance 7
Did not advance
  Eillebrecht (NED) (L) Did not advance
Josef Beránek Greco-Roman feather Bye   Bouquet (FRA) (W)   Pütsep (EST) (L) Did not advance 9
N/A Did not advance
Did not advance
Karel Halík Greco-Roman light Bye   Coerse (NED) (L) Did not advance 12
Did not advance
Did not advance
Josef Huml Greco-Roman middle   Prunier (FRA) (W)   Szymanski (USA) (L) Did not advance 13
Did not advance
Did not advance
Václav Kocián Greco-Roman light heavy Bye   Snoeck (BEL) (L) Did not advance 10
N/A Did not advance
N/A
František Kopřiva Greco-Roman light Bye   Tamminen (FIN) (L) Did not advance 5
Did not advance
Bye   Andersen (NOR) (L) Did not advance
Jan Kraus Greco-Roman heavy   Calza (ITA) (L) Did not advance Did not advance 18
Did not advance
Did not advance
František Řezáč Greco-Roman feather   Torgensen (DEN) (L) Did not advance Did not advance 17
N/A Did not advance
Did not advance
Josef Struna Greco-Roman heavy   Willkie (USA) (L) Did not advance Did not advance 18
Did not advance
Did not advance
František Tázler Greco-Roman light heavy   Theisen (LUX) (W)   Rajala (FIN) (L) Did not advance 10
N/A Did not advance
N/A

References

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  1. ^ Objev! Po 101 letech byla odhalena identita našeho prvního československého vlajkonoše, Olympijskytym.cz, 2021-08-13
  2. ^ a b c "Czechoslovakia Fencing at the 1920 Antwerpen Summer Games". Sports-Reference. Archived from the original on 2020-04-17. Composition for teams.