She was born prematurely, weighing only four and a half pounds, the 20th of 22 children, on June 23, 1940.

When she was 4 she contracted infantile paralysis caused by the polio virus and wore a leg brace until she was 9. During her childhood she also survived scarlet fever and double pneumonia.

What did the future hold for this young African American from Tennessee?

She was quoted as saying, “My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother.”

Not only did she walk, she ran. During her sophomore year of high school, she set a new state record by scoring 803 points in 25 basketball games and caught the attention of Tennessee State Coach Ed Temple.

Temple began to train her in track.

At the age of 16, Wilma Rudolph, the child that doctors doubted would ever walk, competed in the 1956 Olympics and returned from Melbourne, Australia, with a bronze medal. Rudolph attended Tennessee State where she studied education and continued her track training.

Rudolph competed in the 1960 Rome Olympics and captured worldwide attention when she became the first American woman to win three Gold medals at the same Olympics.

During these Olympics, she set an Olympic record in the 200-meter dash and her team set a world record in the 4 x 100-meter relay.

Rudolph returned to Clarksville, Tennessee, and insisted that her homecoming parade and banquet be integrated. The celebrations were the first integrated municipal events in the town’s history.

The inspirational life of Wilma Rudolph provides a reminder that it doesn’t matter where you start, but where you finish — and to always listen to your mother.

Ronny Michel may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.