Born in rural Tennessee, Wilma suffered from several childhood illnesses, including pneumonia, scarlet fever, and polio. Her doctor said she would never walk. But by age six, she could hop on one leg. By age eight, she could walk with leg braces. At the age eleven, she was playing basketball. She quickly became a natural athlete and focused on track and field. She competed in the Olympic games in Rome where she won three gold medals and broke at least three world records. Her performance also earned her the title of “the fastest woman in the world.”