[originaltext] Wilma Rudolph was called "the Black Pearl "and "the fastest wo

Wilma Rudolph was called "the Black Pearl "and "the fastest woman in tile world". In 1960 ,Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympics. She was an extraordinary American athlete.
    Wilma Rudolph was born in 1940, in Saint Bethlehem, Tennessee. She was born too early and only weighed two kilograms. Her left leg was damaged because of illnesses. When she was six years old, she began to wear metal leg braces because she could not use that leg. Since she was sick most of the time, her brothers and sisters all helped to take care of her. Soon, her family’s attention and care showed results. By the time she was nine years old, she no longer needed her leg braces.
   Wilma Rudolph went to her first Olympic Games when she was sixteen years old and still in high school. She competed in the nineteen fifty-six games in Melbourne, Australia. She was the youngest member of the United States team. She won a bronze medal, in the sprint relay event.
   In 1960, Wilma Rudolph went to the Olympics again, this time in Rome, Italy. She won two gold medals—first place—in the one hundred meter and the two hundred meter races. She set a new Olympic record of twenty-three point two seconds for the two hundred meter dash.
   Her team also won the gold medal in the four hundred meter sprint relay event, setting a world record of forty-four point five seconds. These three gold medals made her one of the most popular athletes at the Rome games. These victories made people call her the "world’s fastest woman".