One of the most moving stories in women's sports
Meet Wilma Rudolph, our inspiration! She paved the way for many athletes, and we want to keep making history...
Wilma Glodean Rudolph (June 23, 1940 – November 12, 1994) was an American sprinter who became an Olympic champion, world record holder, and international athletics icon following her successes at the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics. Rudolph competed in the 200-meter dash and won a bronze medal in the 4x100-meter relay at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. She also won three gold medals—in the individual 100-meter and 200-meter events and in the 4x100-meter relay—at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. Rudolph was hailed as the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s and became the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympic Games.
As an Olympic champion in the early 1960s, Rudolph was one of the most prominent Black women in the United States and abroad. She became a role model for Black and female athletes, and her Olympic successes helped advance women’s track and field in the United States. Wilma Rudolph is also considered a pioneer in civil rights and women’s rights.
In 1962, Rudolph retired from competition at the peak of her athletic career as the world record holder in the individual 100- and 200-meter events and the 4 × 100-meter relay. After competing in the 1960 Summer Olympics, this 1963 graduate of Tennessee State University became an educator and coach.
Wilma Rudolph died of brain and throat cancer in 1994. Her achievements have been commemorated through various tributes, including a U.S. postage stamp, documentary films, and a television movie, as well as numerous publications, notably books for young readers.
