The Czech Olympic Committee said the legendary athlete passed away yesterday at Military University Hospital Prague.

At Helsinki 1952, Zátopková won the javelin with what was an Olympic record-breaking throw of 50.47 metres.

It came only an hour after her husband Zátopek had claimed the men's 5,000m gold medal.

Zátopková later set a world record in the javelin in German city Frankfurt in 1958, managing a throw of 55.73m.

She also won the silver medal at the Rome 1960 Olympics, prior to retiring and continuing as a coach.

As reported by The Associated Press, from 1960 to 1972, Zátopková served on the Women’s Committee of the International Association of Athletics Federations, now known as World Athletics.

She worked to promote women’s causes in athletics.

Zátopek, who passed away in 2000 at the age of 78, was one of the greatest distance runners in history.

He won the men’s 10,000m race and secured silver over half that distance at the London 1948 Olympics, representing Czechoslovakia, before sealing a hat-trick of titles at Helsinki 1952.

Zátopek, born on the same date - September 19 1922 - as his wife, clinched the 10,000m and 5,000m double in Finland's capital and then the marathon on his debut at the distance.

The feat has not been repeated since.