Wilma Rudolph

Sprinter Wilma Rudolph’s life was defined by epic triumphs on and off the track.

As a child with polio, Wilma Rudolph spent her days indoors. Her weakened left leg stopped her from running or even walking without a brace. But by the time she was a teenager, the brace was gone, and she was one of the fastest kids in Tennessee. In 1956, Rudolph helped the United States women’s relay team win a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics. Four years later, she won three Olympic gold medals and became an international track-and-field star. Find out how Rudolph overcame polio to become the fastest woman in the world.