Rudolph Wins Three in Rome.

Rudolph Wins Three in Rome. With her lively personality, her generosity toward teammates, and her history of courage in the face of affliction, track star Wilma Rudolph was a favorite of the public and the press. She overcame a bout of polio that crippled her leg as a child and went on to claim the title of world's fastest woman during the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Italy. . Rudolph Wins Three in Rome At birth, Wilma Rudolph weighed only 2.03 kg (4.5 lb) and had a crippled leg. As she grew, however, she believed that she could make herself into something extraordinary. She succeeded in September 1960 when she won three gold medals at the Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. At the time, she was the fastest woman in the world. In 1960 Rudolph, at 6 ft (1.8m), was a sinewy tower of strength and speed. The Romans called her La Gazella Nera--the Black Gazelle. According to sportswriters, she virtually floated down the track. By winning three gold medals, Rudolph became the only track-and-field athlete, male or female, to win three times in Rome. She was the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at one Olympic Games. The day before Rudolph was to compete in the qualifying heat of the 100-meter dash, she sprained her ankle. Despite the injury, she decided to race. She finished ahead of the French champion Catherine Capdeville and clocked the fastest time of any runner in the trial heats. In the second set of heats Rudolph beat Vera Krepinka, the world record holder in the event. In the semifinals she tied the world record set by Krepinka in 1958. In the finals she ran the fastest 100 meters ever run by a woman--11.0 seconds. "From the moment she first sped down the track in Rome's Olympic Stadium, there was no doubt she was the fastest woman the world had ever seen," said a reporter for Time magazine. Indeed, Rudolph proved herself again in the 200 meters during her second day of competition. In her first heat, Rudolph broke the previous Olympic record set by Betty Cuthbert of Australia. In the finals she raced to her second gold medal with a time of 24.0 seconds. Rudolph was in good company on September 8 in the 400-meter relay, her final event. All of the women selected for the United States Olympic relay team were from Rudolph's university squad, the Tennessee A. & I. State University Tigerbelles. Although the team had set a world record of 44.4 seconds in the semifinals, they faltered just before Rudolph's leg in the finals. Rudolph's teammate Barbara Jones, who had established a two-yard lead over the second-place German team, bobbled the baton on the pass. Rudolph had to stop, grab the baton, and start again. The Germans moved into first place, but Rudolph put her long legs to work. She catapulted herself to the lead and finished the race three yards ahead of the German runner. Rudolph's performance was electrifying, but it was her spirit that won the hearts of fans. When asked what her most important victory was, she replied, "Oh, without question it was the relay, for then I could stand on the podium with my Tigerbelle teammates whom I love ... and we could celebrate together." After the Olympics, dignitaries throughout the world honored her. Rudolph met President John F. Kennedy and appeared on the "Ed Sullivan Show." None of these accolades, however, compared to the welcome she received from her hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee. Mayor William Barksdale, a noted segregationist, proclaimed October 4 Wilma Rudolph Day. The town celebrated with a parade and a banquet attended by more than 1000 people, both blacks and whites. Rudolph told the crowd, "I shall always use my physical talents to the glory of God, the best interests of my nation, and the honor of womanhood. I give you my humble thanks for the opportunity to serve." Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.