Which country did Vera Caslavska represent in Olympic gymnastics?

Věra Čáslavská represented Czechoslovakia in Olympic gymnastics. She competed for the country at the 1960, 1964, and 1968 Summer Olympics.

Čáslavská became Czechoslovakia’s most decorated gymnast, winning seven Olympic gold medals and four silver medals. At Tokyo 1964, she won the individual all-around, vault, and balance-beam titles. Four years later in Mexico City, she again won the all-around and added three more individual golds.

Her 1968 performance carried special political significance. After the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, she had lost access to normal training facilities and prepared in the forest using improvised equipment. During the Games, she also became known for her quiet protest against the invasion during medal ceremonies. “Czech” can be a tempting answer, but the Olympic team she represented was officially Czechoslovakia, which existed until 1992.