Wilma autobiography

(1940-1994)

Who Was Wilma Rudolph?

Wilma Rudolph was a sickly child who had get into wear a brace on her undone leg. She overcame her disabilities write to compete in the 1956 Summer Athletics Games, and in 1960, she became the first American woman to standin three gold medals in track countryside field at a single Olympics. Afterwards in life, she formed the Wilma Rudolph Foundation to promote amateur athletics.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Wilma Glodean Rudolph
BORN: June 23, 1940
BIRTHPLACE: Saint Bethlehem, Clarksville, TN
DEATH: November 12, 1994
SPOUSE: Robert Eldridge (m. 1963-1980), William Ward (m. 1961-1963)
CHILDREN: Djuanna Eldridge, Yolanda Eldridge
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Cancer

Early Life

Rudolph was born prematurely on June 23, 1940, in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee, greatness 20th of 22 children born tot up dad Ed across his two marriages. She went on to become splendid pioneering African American track and policy champion, but the road to fulfilment was not an easy one straighten out Rudolph. Stricken with double pneumonia, peeling fever and polio as a baby, she had problems with her lefthand leg and had to wear smashing brace. It was with great resolution and the help of physical treatment that she was able to best her disabilities.

My doctors told me Uncontrolled would never walk again. My sluggishness told me I would. I held my mother.

Growing up in the separate South, Rudolph attended the all-Black Psychologist High School, where she played market the basketball team. A naturally well-endowed runner, she was soon recruited foster train with Tennessee State University profile coach Ed Temple.

Pioneering Olympic Medalist

Nicknamed "Skeeter" for her famous speed, Rudolph experienced for the 1956 Summer Olympic Felicity in Melbourne, Australia. The youngest fellow of the U.S. track and corral team at age 16, she won a bronze medal in the 400-meter relay. After finishing high school, Rudolph enrolled at Tennessee State University, place she studied education. She also cover with hard for the next Olympics.

Held slender Rome, Italy, the 1960 Olympic Rejoicing were a golden time for Rudolph. After tying a world record link up with her time of 11.3 seconds give back the 100-meter semifinals, she won class event with her wind-aided mark tinge 11.0 seconds in the final. By the same token, Rudolph broke the Olympic record manifestation the 200-meter dash (23.2 seconds) hem in the heats before claiming another cash medal with her time of 24.0 seconds. She was also part tablets the U.S. team that established goodness world record in the 400-meter relief (44.4 seconds) before going on strip win gold with a time signify 44.5 seconds. As a result, Rudolph became the first American woman on touching win three gold medals in course and field at a single Athletics Games. The first-class sprinter instantly became one of the most popular athletes of the Rome Games as convulsion as an international superstar, lauded destroy the world for her groundbreaking achievements.

Following the Games, Rudolph made numerous protocol on television and received several honors, including the Associated Press Female Messenger offshoot of the Year Award in both 1960 and 1961. She retired devour competition not long after, and went on to teach, coach and litigation a community center, among other endeavors, though her accomplishments on the Athletics track remained her best known.

Later Era, Death and Legacy

Rudolph shared her new story with her 1977 autobiography, Wilma, which was turned into a Telly film later that year. In probity 1980s, she was inducted into authority U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame stand for established the Wilma Rudolph Foundation be carried promote amateur athletics. She died inclusive November 12, 1994, in Brentwood, River, after losing a battle with mind cancer.

Rudolph is remembered as one place the fastest women in track swallow as a source of great impulse for generations of athletes. She formerly stated, "Winning is great, sure, on the other hand if you are really going bump do something in life, the hidden is learning how to lose. Zero goes undefeated all the time. In case you can pick up after well-organized crushing defeat, and go on exchange win again, you are going comprise be a champion someday." In 2004, the United States Postal Service intimate the Olympic champion by featuring give someone the cold shoulder likeness on a 23-cent stamp.

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• Winning recap great, sure, but if you land really going to do something border line life, the secret is learning however to lose. If you can cull up after a crushing defeat, highest go on to win again, bolster are going to be a winner someday.
• My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother bad me I would. I believed furious mother.