Eliška Misáková
Czech gymnast
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Eliška Misáková (12 October 1926 in Kojetice[1] – 14 August 1948 in London[2]) was a Czech gymnast who was selected to attend the 1948 Summer Olympics.
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's gymnastics | ||
Representing  Czechoslovakia | ||
 | 1948 London | Team (awarded posthumously) |
Misáková was born in Kojetice, in the Třebíč District of Vysočina. Her parents both died before her in 1948. She was diagnosed with poliomyelitis soon after arrival in London,[3] and isolated in a local hospital ward, with access to an iron lung.[4] Her place on the team was taken by Věra Růžičková.
Misáková died during the competition, after four days in the Uxbridge Isolation Hospital.[4] The Czechoslovak team, including her sister Miloslava, went on to earn the gold medal.[3][5] Their flag was raised at the medal ceremony with a black border of mourning, and Misáková became the only athlete to ever be awarded a posthumous Olympic medal. Because of the infectious nature of her illness, her body was cremated before repatriation and her ashes returned to Prague in an urn.[4][6]
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