Wilma Rudolph: Evidence from a Biography

Wilma Rudolph: From a Leg Brace to Gold Medals

1When Wilma Rudolph was a little girl, doctors were not sure she would ever walk normally. Years later, she became one of the fastest runners in the world. How did that happen? Her life story shows what a caring family, hard work, and a strong will can do.

2Wilma was born in Tennessee in 1940. She was one of many children in a big family. As a small child, she was often sick. Then she caught polio, a disease that can make muscles weak. After that, her left leg was weak, and she could not walk well. Doctors said she might never walk without help, so she wore a heavy metal brace on her leg.

3Wilma's family did not give up on her. Every week, her mother rode a bus with her to a hospital in another city for treatment. At home, her brothers and sisters took turns rubbing her weak leg to help it get stronger. When no one was watching, Wilma would take off the brace and practice walking by herself.

4Slowly, her leg grew stronger. By the time she was about twelve, she no longer needed the brace. Soon she was not only walking but running. In high school, she became a star basketball player. A college track coach saw how fast she was and invited her to train with his team during the summer.

5Wilma trained hard. When she was sixteen, she ran in the 1956 Olympic Games and helped her relay team win a bronze medal. Four years later, at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy, she won three gold medals. She was the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympics. Newspapers called her the fastest woman in the world.

6After her racing days, Wilma became a teacher and a coach. She also worked to help young athletes reach their goals. Today, people remember her for her speed and for her courage. Her life shows that a hard beginning does not have to decide how a story ends.