František Kopřiva

František Kopřiva started his international career as a light-heavyweight wrestler in the classical style in 1911 placing 2nd at the Middle European Championship. In the following year, he had his first Olympic appearance in Stockholm. There, he lost his first two bouts by fall against Swedish opponents in the middleweight B division. His best year came in 1913, when he placed third at the unofficial World Championships, fourth at the unofficial European Championship, and he claimed his third consecutive national title in the heaviest class. After the break of World War I, he took part in his second Olympics in Antwerpen in 1920 in the lightweight class, losing both of his fights by fall in less than a minute to Finnish wrestlers.

František Kopřiva also won the light-heavyweight division at the Inter-Allied Games in 1919. Because with Josef Dostál another wrestler represented Czechoslovakia officially, František Kopřiva was wearing the colors of Serbia. He defeated Dostál in the final. Kopřiva, who was also a keen football player, died from pneumonia in 1940.