Rudolph, Wilma Glodean
(b. 23 June in Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee; d. 12 November in Brentwood, Tennessee), the "fastest woman in the world" and the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.
Born into poverty in in the racially segregated South, Rudolph's opportunities seemed limited. She was the twentieth of twenty-two children of her father's first and second marriages. Her father, Ed Rudolph, was a railroad porter, and her mother, Blanche (Pettus) Rudolph, was a domestic. Their home in Clarksville, Tennessee, had neither electricity nor indoor plumbing. Rudolph's life was a struggle from birth. Born two months premature, she weighed only four and a half pounds. By age four she had contracted measles, mumps, chicken pox, pneumonia, scarlet fever, and polio. Polio left her with a crooked left leg and a foot that turned inward.
Defying all odds, Rudolph began her stellar athletic career at age twelve. Finally free of the leg brace she had worn for support after her bout with polio, she participated in school sports. By the time she was in high school Rudolph was winning every race she entered, yet she knew she needed expert training. At the end o
Wilma Rudolph
()
Who Was Wilma Rudolph?
Wilma Rudolph was a sickly child who had to wear a brace on her left leg. She overcame her disabilities to compete in the Summer Olympic Games, and in , she became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics. Later in life, she formed the Wilma Rudolph Foundation to promote amateur athletics.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Wilma Glodean Rudolph
BORN: June 23,
BIRTHPLACE: Saint Bethlehem, Clarksville, TN
DEATH: November 12,
SPOUSE: Robert Eldridge (m. ), William Ward (m. )
CHILDREN: Djuanna Eldridge, Yolanda Eldridge
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Cancer
Early Life
Rudolph was born prematurely on June 23, , in St. Bethlehem, Tennessee, the 20th of 22 children born to dad Ed across his two marriages. She went on to become a pioneering African American track and field champion, but the road to victory was not an easy one for Rudolph. Stricken with double pneumonia, scarlet fever and polio as a child, she had problems with her left leg and had to wear a brace. It was with great determination and the help of physical therapy that she was able to overcome her disabilities.
My doctors told me I would never
Wilma Rudolph
Three-time champion of the Olympic Games held in Rome, nicknamed the black gazelle. Date of Birth:
Country: USA
Content:
- Biography of Wilma Glodean Rudolph
- Early Life and Challenges
- Discovering Her Talent
- Olympic Success
- Later Life and Legacy
Biography of Wilma Glodean Rudolph
Wilma Glodean Rudolph was an American track and field athlete who was considered the fastest woman in the world during the s. In , in Rome, she became the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games. This was also the year the Olympic Games were first broadcast internationally, which, combined with her outstanding performance, made Wilma Rudolph and Cassius Clay, the future Muhammad Ali, global superstars.
Early Life and Challenges
When Rudolph was born, no one could have imagined that she would become a great athlete. She was born prematurely and weighed just over 2 kilograms ( pounds). In addition, she suffered from childhood paralysis caused by poliomyelitis. Despite these challenges, Rudolph eventually recovered, although she had to wear a leg brace on her left leg. By the age of 12, she had overcome scarlet fever, chickenpox,
Wilma Rudolph
By Arlisha R. Norwood, NWHM Fellow |
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.
Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born on June 23, in Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee. As one of 22 children, she was constantly surrounded by support and care, which she needed given her poor health. Rudolph survived bouts of polio and scarlet fever. Her illness forced her to wear a brace on her leg. Rudolph’s diagnosis was very bleak, “my doctor told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother.” Together, Rudolph’s parents and siblings took turns taking care of her. They would often remove her leg brace and massage her injured leg. At the age of six, Rudolph began to hop on one leg. By eight she could move around with a leg brace. At the age of 11, Rudolph’s mother discovered her playing basketball outside. She quickly turned to sports, becoming a natural athlete. She was nominated as All-American in basketball during high school. H
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