Background
Koubek was born in Paskov, in a family of eight siblings.
Koubek was born in Paskov, in a family of eight siblings.
Soon after his birth, the family moved to Brno, where he finished school and started training in athletics.
In 1936, he underwent female to male gender reassignment surgery and retired from athletics. Koubková continued his education and training in Prague. On 14 June 1934 he set his first world record, in the 800 m at 2:16.4.
The next world record came in the medley relay (2×100 m, 200 m and 800 m), at 3:14.4.
Around that time newspapers started discussing his excessive (for a woman) masculinity, noting that pants would suit him better than a skirt. In 1935 Koubek retired from competitions and for six months toured the United States.
The next year, he underwent gender reassignment surgery and changed his name. Koubek spent his late years living with a wife in Prague, where he died aged 73.
A 1935 novel Zdenin světový rekord (Zdena"s world record) by Lída Merlínová is based on his early life and career.