Helsinki 1952, Games of the XV Olympiade. Men's athletics, 5000m: Emil ZATOPEK of Czechoslovakia in front of Alain MIMOUN O'KACHA of France and Herbert SCHADE of Germany. t: IOC Olympic Museum Collections/RüBELT LotharOther names: MIMOUN O'KACHA, Alain
Born: 1 January 1921
Birthplace: El Telagh (Algeria)
Nationality: France
Sport: Athletics
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
London 1948
Helsinki 1952
Melbourne / Stockholm 1956
Rome 1960
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 1
Silver: 3
Details
Other results:
European Championships
Silver: 2 (50)
A Man and His Castle
Algerian-born Alain Mimoun first represented France at the 1948 Olympics. In the 10,000m, he finished second behind Emil Zatopek. In 1952, Mimoun again came second in the 10,000m and again it was Zatopek who won. Four days later, Mimoun earned his third silver medal, this time in the 5,000m. The winner? Emil Zatopek. For the 1956 Olympics, Mimoun switched to the marathon...and faced Zatopek in one last race. This time it was Mimoun who surged ahead just before the halfway mark and pulled away to a minute-and-a-half victory. Mimoun waited at the finish line for his old friend Emil Zatopek, who trotted home in sixth place. "Emil," said Mimoun" ... It is I who won." Zatopek took off his cap, saluted Mimoun and embraced him. "For me" Mimoun later recalled, "that was better than the medal". Looking back on his Olympic races, Mimoun observed, "I look at my career as a castle: my London silver medal is the foundation; my two Helsinki silver medals are the walls; my gold medal in Melbourne, the roof".
