The stands were packed. People from all over the world were watching the greatest sports show of all---the Olympic Games.
The next race was the women's realy race,and it promised to be an exciting one. Teams from six countreis were entered. The winning team wuold be champions of the world.
The crowed became silent as the teams took their places. Many eyes turned to a tall, 20-year-old black girl on the US team. She was Wilma Rudolph,the fourth and last runner for the Untied States.
At the sound of the gun, the first runners shot front their starting points. Relay sticks in their hands, they raced to the second runners. The second runners,already moving,grabbed the sticks and raced on. Now the third runners had the sticks. And the runner for US team was in the lead! She dashed toward Wilma. Already running, Wilma reached for the stick. But her teammate almost dropped it. Wilma had to stop to get a good hold on the stick.
That moment's stop cost the Us its lead. A girl of the German team was flying two steps ahead of Wilma. Wilma urged herself "Faster! Faster!" Bit by bit she closed the gap. She caught up with the German girl. Then she pulled ahead. At the finishing line Wilma breasted the tape. She and her teammate had taken first place!
It was a wonderful victory, even more wonderful than you might think. For Wilma hadntp even been able to walk for one third of her life!
Wilma Rudolph was the youngest child in a big family.Both parents worked in order to have enough money to raise the children.The old boys and girls were healthy, but Wilma was sic most of the time.She was barely walking at the age of four.Then she became seriously ill and for weeks was near death. She managed to pull through,but she couldn't move her left leg.It appeared that the little girl would probably never walk.
But Wilma's mother was determined to give her a chance.She wrapped Wilma in a blanket and took her by bus to a hospital 45 miles away. The doctors gave the little girl all knids of tests.Finally they said that rubbing the little gril's leg might help. But she would have to be treated every day.And it might take years.
"I can't bring her there every day," Wilma's mother said." Can you teach me?"
The doctors showed Mrs Rudolph what to do. "But you'll still have to bring her here to the hospital once a week,"they said.
Wilma's mother followed the doctors' orders. Every day after supper she rubbed Wilma's leg. She rubbed and rubbed until long after Wilma had fallen asleep. And on her day off once a week, she and Wilma mad the 90-mile round trip to the hospital.
After a year the doctor said," We think the leg is better. But it is hard to tell."
That night Mrs Rudolph taught her three older children how to rub Wilma's leg. From then on ,Wilma's leg got treated four times a day. "She's going to walk," Mr Rudolph said.
In another year, Wilma could manage a sort of help. And at the age of eight she was walking a bit with the aid of a leg brace. That summer the doctor changed the brace of a special heavey shoe.In the fall, Wilma limped off to school.
Wilma's brother Wesley like to play basketball. He had put up a basket on a pole in the back yard. To the family's surprise,Wilma was soon out in the yard---playing basketball. If the heavy shoe bothered her, she didn't seem to show it .When the other children stopped to reast,she kept on shooting baskets." She's making up for all the playing she missed," Wilma's mother said.
One day Wilma's mother went to the door call everybody in for supper.She stopped in suprise.She couldn't believe it.Wilma was bunching the ball around the basket. And she was barefoot. Shen no longer needed the shoe!
Wilam more than made up for the playing she missed. In high shcool she became a track star.In college she won a national championship in the dasheds.
Then came the tryouts for the Olympic Games. Wilma won the 100-and 200-meter clashes. She and her college teammates also tried out for the relay race. They won,which meant they would run for the United States.
How Wilma helped with the relay for the US team in the Olympics is well known. But that wasn't all. She also won the 100-and 200-meter dashes,and in the 100-meter dashes she had set a new world record.Wilma became the first American woman to win three Olympic gold medals in track!
What a wonderful victory for Wilma! And what a wonderful victory for Wilma's mother!
Mother loves her children forever nomatter waht they are,the love is so great!
