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 Lothar

Other 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".