answersLogoWhite

0

Wilma Rudolph

Wilma Rudolph was the first African American woman to win gold medals in the Olympics for track and field. A native of Tennessee, she was one of 21 children in her family. Her triumph over childhood diseases, including polio, have made her a role model for endurance and persistence.

243 Questions

What female track and field athlete won more medals than Wilma Rudolph?

Wilma Rudolph won 4 medals (3 gold and 1 bronze) in her Olympic career. Women who have won 5 or more Olympic medals in athletics (track and field) are:

1) Merlene Ottey, Jamaica - won 8 medals (3 silver and 5 bronze).
2) Irena Szewińska-Kirszenstein, Poland - won 7 medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze).
3) Shirley Strickland, Australia - won 7 medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze).
4) Renate Stecher, East Germany - won 6 medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze).
5) Jackie Joyner-Kersee, United States - won 6 medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze).
6) Evelyn Ashford, United States - won 5 medals (4 gold, 1 silver).
7) Florence Griffith-Joyner, United States - won 5 medals (3 gold, 2 silver).
8) Gwen Torrence, United States - won 5 medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze).
9) Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jamaica - won 5 medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze).
10) Heike Drechsler-Daute, Germany - won 5 medals (2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze).
11) Tatyana Lebedeva, Russia - won 5 medals (1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze).

While 11 women have won more medals in athletics than Wilma, only 4 have won more gold medals (3) in athletics than Wilma did.

Evelyn Ashford of the United States, Fanny Blankers-Koen of Netherlands, Betty Cuthbert of Australia, and Bärbel Wöckel of East Germany each won 4 gold medals during their Olympic career.

Why is Wilma Rudolph important?

Wilma Rudolph impacted on society and culture by showing that even if you have a disease or you dont think you can do something you should never give up. Keep on trying and move on from the past

What was the top speed of Usain Bolt?

23.2mph is his average speed over the 200m. That means he started at 0 mph and he got at some point to his top speed which is unknown and 23.2mph is his average.

His top speed in the 100m race was 43.93 km/h or 27.3 mph.

At the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Bolt ran between the 60 and 80 meter marks in only 1.61 seconds which corresponds to a maximum velocity of 44.72 kilometers an hour.

What was Wilma Rudolph address in claksville Tennessee?

NAME: Wilma Glodean Rudolph

BIRTHDATE: June 23, 1940

BIRTHPLACE: Clarksville, Tennessee

EDUCATION: At first, Wilma was tutored at home by her family because she was crippled. She first began school at the age of seven. In 1947, the schools of the Southern states were segregated -- black students and white students had to attend separate schools. Even though blacks had to pay the same taxes as whites, the schools for black students were usually poorly funded, so they were less likely to have adequate books, teachers, classrooms, or equipment.

In junior high, Wilma followed her older sister Yolanda's example and joined the basketball team. The coach, Clinton Gray, didn't put her in a single game for three years. Finally, in her sophomore year, she became the starting guard. During the state basketball tournament, she was spotted by Ed Temple, the coach for the famous Tigerbells, the women's track team at Tennessee State University. Because Burt High School didn't have the funding for a track team, coach Temple invited Wilma to Tennessee State for a summer sports camp.

After graduating from high school, Wilma received a full scholarship to Tennessee State. Because of all the celebrity she received from her track career, she took a year off from her studies to make appearances and compete in international track events. She returned and received a Bachelor's degree in education, graduating in 1963.

FAMILY BACKGROUND: Wilma Rudolph was born into a large family -- she was the 20th of 22 children! Her parents, Ed and Blanche Rudolph, were honest, hardworking people, but were very poor. Mr. Rudolph worked as a railroad porter and handyman. Mrs. Rudolph did cooking, laundry and housecleaning for wealthy white families.

In 1940 millions of Americans were poor -- our of work and homeless because of the Great Depression. The Rudolphs managed to make ends meet by doing things like making the girls' dresses out of flour sacks.

Wilma was born prematurely and weighed only 4.5 pounds. Again, because of racial segregation, she and her mother were not permitted to be cared for at the local hospital. It was for whites only. There was only one black doctor in Clarksville, and the Rudolph's budget was tight, so Wilma's mother spent the next several years nursing Wilma through one illness after another: measles, mumps, scarlet fever, chicken pox and double pneumonia. But, she had to be taken to the doctor when it was discovered that her left leg and foot were becoming weak and deformed. She was told she had polio, a crippling disease that had no cure. The doctor told Mrs. Rudolph that Wilma would never walk. But Mrs. Rudolph would not give up on Wilma. She found out that she could be treated at Meharry Hospital, the black medical college of Fisk University in Nashville. Even though it was 50 miles away, Wilma's mother took her there twice a week for two years, until she was able to walk with the aid of a metal leg brace. Then the doctors taught Mrs. Rudolph how to do the physical therapy exercises at home. All of her brothers and sisters helped too, and they did everything to encourage her to be strong and work hard at getting well. Finally, by age 12, she could walk normally, without the crutches, brace, or corrective shoes. It was then that she decided to become an athlete.

In 1963, Wilma married her high school sweetheart, Robert Eldridge, with whom she had four children: Yolanda (1958), Djuanna (1964), Robert Jr. (1965), and Xurry (1971). They later divorced.

DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Wilma Rudolph's life is a story of achieving against the odds. Her first accomplishments were to stay alive and get well!

In high school, she became a basketball star first, who set state records for scoring and led her team to a state championship. Then she became a track star, going to her first Olympic Games in 1956 at the age of 16. She won a bronze medal in the 4x4 relay.

On September 7th, 1960, in Rome, Wilma became the first American woman to win 3 gold medals in the Olympics. She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and ran the anchor on the 400-meter relay team.

This achievement led her to become one of the most celebrated female athletes of all time. In addition, her celebrity caused gender barriers to be broken in previously all-male track and field events.

When did Wilma Rudolph die and how?

Wilma Rudolph was 54 years old when she passed away (born June 23, 1940 and died November 12, 1994).

What does the Wilma Rudolph Foundation do?

It is a program that reaches out to underprivleged children in urban areas, providing free coaching and academic assistance.

What was Wilma Rudolph's contribution?

she inspired africans and Americans to go for their goal no matter how long it takes them to get their.

What jobs did Wilma Rudolph have?

Wilma Rudolph didn't have a job she won 3 gold medals and 1 bronze in the Olympics and also got a full scholarship to Tennessee State University.

Was Wilma Rudolph a fifteen year old olypian?

No, she was 16 years and 5 months old when she competed at the 1956 Games in Melbourne.

Who were Wilma Rudolph's parents?

Ed and Blanche Rudolph.

http://academies-englewood.org/introtechclass/sites/wh/wilma/Childhood.htm

How did Wilma Rudolph?

she over come her obstetrical by keep her brace on her leg

Who is Rudolphs Mother?

Maya Rudolph's mothers name is Minnie Riperton. Her mother is a well known soul singer. Her father is Richard Rudolph.