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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.
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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...
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Jun 19, 2024 · Wilma Rudolph (born June 23, 1940, St. Bethlehem, near Clarksville, Tennessee, U.S.—died November 12, 1994, Brentwood, Tennessee) was an American sprinter, the first American woman to win three track-and-field gold medals in a single Olympics. Rudolph was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983.
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Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at the same Olympic game. Her performance also earned her the title of “the fastest woman in the world.” Returning home an Olympic champion Rudolph refused to attend her homecoming parade if it was not integrated.
Wilma Rudolph in the 4x100m at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. She capped her Rome campaign by taking a third gold medal in the 4x100m, having clocked a world record of 44.4 in the heats. Not only did she cement her status as the fastest woman in the world, she also became the first US woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympic Games.
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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.
