Jozef Koščak

One of many children born to a poor shoemaker Jozef Koščak started out as a butcher’s apprentice unaware that he would become one of the best Slovak long-distance runners of all time. Apart from his daily run to and from the butcher’s shop where he worked, Koščak was a naturally gifted athlete who did virtually no training. In 1922 he ran in a cross-country race in Prešov, beating all the best runners from Eastern Europe, which earned him a contract with AC Praha.

During his career Koščak won more than 50 championships, including setting 21 Czechoslovak records, with his 5,000 metres record standing until 1944 when Emil Zátopek bettered it. He excelled in road races, winning the Běh Brno six times and the Devín–Bratislava race on four occasions.

Despite incredible domestic success Koščak suffered with bad luck and injury when it came to major international competitions. At the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics he ran in the 5,000 metres but was eliminated in his heat after suffering with sciatica. Koščak ran in the same event at the first edition of the European Athletics Championships in 1934 in Torino, Italy, where he finished in 13th and last place. His preparation for the race was poor, with insufficient food and accommodation that was deemed to be inappropriate.

Long after Koščak had retired from running he was imprisoned in the 1950s on false charges of treason and espionage. He spent five years in prison before a retrial took place that cleared him of all charges. After his release he was awarded with the title of meritorious master of sports before spending the rest of his time living in Brno.

Personal Best: 5000 – 15:12.3 (1934).