Wilma Rudolph

I have spent a lifetime trying to share what it has meant to be a woman first in the world of sports so that other young women have a chance to reach their dreams.

Down South, there was the old 'ladies-don't-do-such-things' way of thinking. You couldn't be a lady and a good athlete at the same time.

It doesn't matter what you're trying to accomplish. It's all a matter of discipline. I was determined to discover what life held for me beyond the inner-city streets.

Later on in life, I discovered that in order for me to be successful, I had to have a challenge. I can't do a nine to five job.

They would say, 'If you run around too much as a girl, you'll never be able to have children.' The running was supposed to be too much strain for your body, and your body would never be the same again.

But when you come from a large, wonderful family, there's always a way to achieve your goals.

In college, I was an education major and qualified for several jobs. But the fame that came with the Olympic medals was too threatening to many people.