Vera Caslavska, the Czech gymnast who won seven gold medals before her public opposition to the Soviet invasion of her country ended her Olympic career, died on Tuesday at the age of 74.
The Czech Olympic Committee confirmed that she passed away after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year and a half ago.
According to Bart Connor, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1984, “She was one of the most dominant gymnasts of her time, balanced in all the events and completely comparable to someone like Simone Biles.”
