Josef Růžička

Josef Růžička ( born March 17, 1925 in Prague, † April 11, 1986 in Prague ) was a Czechoslovak wrestler. He won a silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in the heavyweight division at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki.

Life

Josef Růžička began as a teenager in his hometown of Prague with the rings. He was active in two styles, Greco- Roman and free style and belonged to the following associations: ČKD "Stalingrad" Prague, " Vinohrady " Prague " Rudá hvězda " Prague. He always wrestled in the heavyweight division, the weight category over 87 kg body weight and was a member of the Czechoslovak security forces.

Career

Josef Růžička represented his country for the first time in 1946 at an international championship, namely the European Championships in free style in Stockholm. He lost his fights there against Bertil Antonsson from Sweden and Mehmet Coban from Turkey and reached only the seventh and last place. In 1948, he wrestled at the Olympic Games in London in two styles. In free style he came to victories over Robert Hutton from the United States and Fritz Oberlander from Canada. Then he lost to Gyula Bobis from Hungary and was eliminated from the tournament. He reached a good 5th place. In Greco-Roman style, he was unlucky because he had to retire because of an injury out of the tournament after a victorious battle against Taranyi Jozsef from Hungary and came only on the 9th Place.

1951 ranking Josef Růžička in two countries fighting against Czechoslovakia DDR in Leuna and in Greiz. He came here to point victories over Herbert Albrecht and Adolf Sillmann. In other countries fight he defeated this year Taisto Kangasniemi from Finland on points.

Also in 1952 he competed in the Olympic Games in Helsinki in two styles. In free style he lost to Bertil Antonsson and Taisto Kangasniemi and thus came only on the 9th Place. In Greco-Roman style, he was much more successful. He defeated Jozsef Kovacs, Hungary, lost to Guido Fantoni from Italy, defeated then Bengt Fahlkvist, Sweden, Willi Waltner from Germany and Tauno Kovanen from Finland. In the battle for the gold medal after he lost against Johannes Kotkas from the Soviet Union. Winning the Olympic silver medal was and remained the biggest success in his career.

At the World Cup 1953 in Naples in the Greco-Roman style he had Lospech because he met after a victory over Anthony Georgoulis from Greece to favorites Bertil Antonsson and Johannes Kotkas, lost against. He came by it at this World Cup on the 7th Place.

Josef Růžička was also in the World Cup 1955 in Karlsruhe in Greco-Roman wrestling at the start. He won there over Ferenc Fülöp from Hungary and Anthony Georgoulis and subsequently lost against Alexander Masur from the Soviet Union and Bertil Antonsson. He achieved a respectable 4th place with these results.

At the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956 he was no longer there, because Czechoslovakia was able to send for financial reasons only a very small team to these games. Other international championships he no longer denied then also.

International success

Czechoslovak championships

(if known)

Notes

• GR = Greco-Roman style, F = free style
• OS = The Olympic Games, World Cup WM = EM = Championship
• Heavyweight, then over 87 kg body weight

Swell

• Journal Athletics
• Documentation of International Wrestling Championships FILA, 1976