Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph is celebrated among the century’s iconic female athletes as the first African American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games. Her achievement was even more remarkable because she had overcome the effects of polio, which had weakened her leg from the age of five.
In addition to her Olympic triumphs, Rudolph gained global recognition as the fastest woman in the world in 1960. Her performance during those Olympics catapulted her to iconic status. Then, she becoming an inspiration and symbol of achievement for women and African American athletes worldwide.
