United States of AmericaBiography
A sports superstar, American Wilma Rudolph, was born prematurely (2.0 kg), survived bouts of polio and scarlet fever. As one of 22 children, she spent much of her early life being disabled. At the age of four, she developed infantile paralysis as a result of the poliovirus. Rudolph was able to recover, but it left her left foot and leg with no strength. Her illness forced her to wear a brace on her leg. At the age of six, she began to hop on one leg. By eight she could move around with a leg brace. She rapidly turned to sports, overcame physical handicaps to win a bronze medal in 4x100 relay in 1956 Olympics.
1960 was the year she turned to an icon worldwide when she won three gold medals (breaking at least three world records) in the Olympics. Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals (100, 200, 4x100 relay) in track and field at the same Olympic game. This performance also earned herself the title of "the fastest woman in the world."
PERSONAL BESTS
100m: 11.0
200m: 22.9
4x100m: 44.3
TRIVIA
♦ Rudolph’s doctor told her that she would never walk again. My mother told her she would. She believed her mother.
♦ At the age of 11, Rudolph’s mother discovered her playing basketball outside. She was nominated as All-American in basketball during high school. However, after a chance meeting with a college coach she turned to track and field.
♦ In 1962 Rudolph retired from track and field. She went on to finish her degree at Tennessee State University and began working in education. She continued her involvement in sports, working at several community centers throughout the United States.
♦ She won the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year award in 1961.
♦ In 1977, her life was the subject of a prime-time television movie.
♦ In 1990, Rudolph became the first woman to receive the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Silver Anniversary Award.
♦ Rudolph died of a brain tumor on November 12, 1994.
Books on her:
Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull
Little People Big Dreams: Wilma Rudolph by Isabel Vegara
Wilma Rudolph: Olympic Runner (Childhood of Famous Americans) by Jo Harper
Wilma Rudolph (African-American Biographies (Pb) by Corinne J. Naden
Text by Evren Özüyener