Betty Robinson Returns From Disaster

The first woman to win an Olympic 100-meter title was American sprinter Betty Robinson, who claimed gold at the 1928 Amsterdam Games at age 16 in only her third 100-meter competition. In 1931, a plane crash left her severely injured, and her rescuer believed she was beyond saving and took her to Oak Forest infirmary because he knew the undertaker. Robinson spent six months in a wheelchair and two years regaining the ability to walk normally. Still unable to kneel for a standard sprint start, she returned at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and helped the United States win gold in the 4 x 100-meter relay.

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