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The 15 biggest moments for women in the Summer Olympics

Since 1900, when women first began competing in the Olympic Games, there have been many unforgettable moments. 

8. Overcoming polio to win triple gold

AP Photo
Wilma Rudolph wins the semi-final heat of the women's 100-meter dash at the Summer Olympics in 1960.

  • By Laura Edwins Contributor

In the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field in a single Olympics, dominating the 100-meter, 200-meter, and the 4 by 100-meter relay.

Rudolph, who was born in Tennessee in 1940, was diagnosed with polio at age 4, leaving her left leg and foot twisted. With corrective braces and orthopedic shoes she was able to overcome her handicap, and began her athletic career playing basketball in high school. She went on to run track for Tennessee State.

The 1960 Olympics was the first to be televised internationally, and Rudolph, an African-American athlete, became a worldwide sensation. She was nicknamed “The Tornado,” “The Black Gazelle,” and “The Black Pearl.” Throughout the 60s she was known as the fastest woman on earth.

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Mark Sappenfield
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