Gustav Frištenský

Legendary wrestler had a strong body and character

The sport career of the best wrestler Gustav Frištenský was long. And the unbeatable champion from Křečhoř by Kolín performed all over the world.

From his young years (born in 1879) he helped his parents in agriculture, he was trained as a butcher. At that time he was a giant: 186cm, 94kg. When he was twenty, he joined the athletic club Hellas in Brno and three years later he became the champion of Czech Lands in Graeco-Roman wrestling. Immediately a year after he became an amateur champion of Europe. And when he becomes a European champion in professional sport many years later, he is already 50. 

During the Second World War Frištenský financially supported Anti-Nazi resistance. Only thanks to a bribe he was saved from transport to a concentration camp. When the war finished, he gave out 150 000 crowns from his wealth to police widows. His muscular body was supposed to be a masculine ideal. By being generous he proved that the strength of body was connected with the strength of character.