5 November 2021 is a very sad day: we have lost Boženka Černá (25 February 1930 — 5 November 2021), the oldest practising female cold-water swimmer in the Czech Republic. After fracturing her hip in August, it seemed she might get back on her feet again. In the end, however, her advanced age of 91 and other health difficulties made that impossible.
Boženka will remain in our hearts and memories as a source of good humour, innate kindness and inspiration in so many ways. As recently as this spring, she was swimming with us in the Vltava. During the summer, she joined us several times for a chat on the bench by our Braník clubhouse. Now she is swimming towards cold-water swimmers’ heaven, and is at peace.
We will share any information about a public farewell once we hear from her family.
We will always remember Boženka with the greatest affection.
— Her fellow swimmers at I. plavecký klub otužilců Praha
Photos: Jan Jirkovský (1), Adéla Hrubešová (2, 3), I. PKO archive (4, 5).