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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.
Apr 10, 2024 · In 1960, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics.
Jun 19, 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.
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...
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.
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.
In a sport where tales of triumph over adversity are not uncommon, Wilma Rudolph’s journey to sporting stardom stands out as one of the most astonishing. In fact, her life story is reflected in her racing style: a sluggish start before finding her stride and then running into the record books.
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.
Wilma Rudolph: The Chattanooga Choo Choo. Wilma Rudolph was not a newcomer to Olympic competition, having won a bronze medal in the 4 × 100-metre relay at the 1956 Games in Melbourne, Australia. Yet it was her performance on the track at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome that endeared her to fans worldwide.
Eleven seconds flat—that’s how long it took for Wilma Rudolph (1940–1994) to streak to victory in the 100-meter sprint and claim Olympic gold at the 1960 Summer Games in Rome. Nicknamed “Skeeter,” the 20-year-old sprinter triumphed in the 200-meter sprint and the 4 x 100-meter relay as well, becoming the first American woman to win ...
