Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
Love at the Cold War Olympics
Up next
December 17, 2016
9 minutes
Available for over a year
At the 1956 Olympics, the Czechoslovak discus thrower, Olga Fikotova, caused a scandal by falling in love with an American hammer thrower called Harold Connolly. Despite winning her country's only gold medal, Olga was treated as a potential traitor by the communist government and her achievements were ignored. A few months later, Harold Connolly visited Prague to marry Olga and take her back to America with him. Olga Fikotova tells her story to Claire Bowes.
PHOTO: Harold Connolly and Olga Fikotova on their honeymoon in 1957 (Associated Press)