Vera Caslavska, a Czech gymnast whose seven Olympic gold medals in the 1960s made her a dominant figure in the sport and whose public opposition to the Soviet invasion of her homeland ended her competitive career, died on Tuesday in Prague. She was 74.
The Czech Olympic Committee said she had died after a long illness. She learned she had pancreatic cancer about a year and a half ago.
Caslavska (pronounced cha-SLAF-ska) fired a warning shot in the direction of the all-powerful Soviet gymnasts when she finished a close second to the seemingly invincible Larisa Latynina in the all-around at the 1962 world championships.