Late sprinter Wilma Rudolph was one of the most transcendent athletes of her generation as she ran through the record books during the 1960s.
Wilma Rudolph first competed in the Olympics in 1956 when she was only 16 years old. Rudolph went on to claim the Bronze model in the 4 x 100m relay at that Olympics which was held in Melbourne (Victoria, Australia).
Rudolph then went on to light the world on fire at the 1960 Olympic games held in Rome, Italy when she struck three gold metals. She won the 100m relay, 200m relay and 4 x 100m relay races that year all while being a sophomore at Tennessee State University. Her accomplishments helped her to become one of the most well known African-American women of the 1960s due to her status as the fastest woman in the world during the decade despite only competing in the aforementioned 1960 Olympic games.
Ms. Rudolph went on to retire before the 1964 Olympic games as she stated that she wanted to retire while still at her peak rather than during her decline. There is no doubt that she is one of the most influential African-American athletes of all-time as she paved the way for African-Ameican women who ran track for many years to come.