Stanislawa Walasiewicz

Stanisława Walasiewicz was a Polish-American track and field athlete, who became a women's Olympic champion in the 100 metres. Born in Poland and raised in the United States, she became an American citizen in 1947. She started her athletic career at South High School in Cleveland, Ohio, where she set a world record in the 100-yard dash in 1930. She competed for Poland at the 1932 and 1936 Olympics, winning gold and silver medals respectively in the 100-metre race. She also won several medals at the Women's World Games and the European Athletics Championships. She was known for her long strides and powerful running style. She continued to compete as an amateur until 1951, and later worked as a clerk and a sports journalist. She was shot and killed in a robbery attempt in Cleveland in 1980. A post-mortem examination revealed that she had a chromosomal disorder that left her with ambiguous genitalia, which raised controversy over her gender and athletic achievements. However, she had lived her entire life as a woman and was regarded as a pioneer of women's sports.