Search results
Wilma Glodean Rudolph (June 23, 1940 – November 12, 1994) was an American sprinter who overcame childhood polio and went on to become a world-record-holding Olympic champion and international sports icon in track and field following her successes in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games.
Feb 12, 2013 · Aged just 16, she was a member of the American 4x100m relay team that claimed a bronze medal. The 1960 Rome Games provided the defining moments of Rudolph's extraordinary life story. She...
Apr 10, 2024 · Pioneering Olympic Medalist. Nicknamed "Skeeter" for her famous speed, Rudolph qualified for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. The youngest member of the U.S. track and...
Aug 5, 2024 · Wilma Rudolph, American sprinter, the first American woman to win three track-and-field gold medals in a single Olympics. Her victories were in the 100-meter dash, in the 200-meter dash, and as a member of the 4 × 100-meter relay team.
Despite being told as a child she would never walk again, Wilma Rudolph relentlessly pursued her dreams becoming an international track and field star. At the height of her career, “the fastest woman in the world” used her platform to shed light on social issues.
Who Is Wilma Rudolph? Born on June 23, 1940, in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee, Wilma Rudolph was a sickly child who had to wear a brace on her left leg. She overcame her disabilities to compete in the 1956 Summer Olympic Games, and in 1960, she became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics.
Jan 8, 2021 · Black History. How Wilma Rudolph Overcame Early Health Problems to Launch a Record-Breaking Career. Born premature and plagued with illnesses throughout her childhood, the groundbreaking athlete...
The 1960 Rome Games provided the defining moments of Rudolph’s extraordinary life story. She stormed to gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay, breaking three world records in the process. She was dubbed “The Black Gazelle” by the European press for her speed, beauty and grace.
Hall Of Fame Bio. Wilma Rudolph is a former American track and field athlete and the first American woman to win three gold medals at one Olympic Games. Born prematurely in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee, she contracted double pneumonia, scarlet fever and polio.
Nov 12, 1994 · Wilma Rudolph was the first US woman to win the Olympic sprint double, adding gold in the 4x100 relay. As the 17th child in a family of 18, she contracted polio as an infant and was unable to walk properly until she was 11.
