2. The Story Of Stella Walsh
Going down in history as one of the most shocking stories to have ever graced the Olympics, the story of Stella Walsh reads more like a movie than a real life event. Born in Eastern Europe, Stanisława Walasiewicz, also known as Stefania Walasiewicz, then eventually Stella Walsh, was a Polish track and field athlete, representing Poland in two major Olympics. Moving to America at a young age,Walsh excelled in athletics throughout school. Winning a competition to represent the USA in the American Olympic team, Walsh was later denied due to her not being able to obtain an American citizenship. Choosing to represent her native country of Poland, Walsh won the gold medal in the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. Becoming a popular figure in Poland, Walsh was often voted the most popular Polish sports star and awarded a variety of achievement medals. Continuing her success, Walsh attended the following Olympics in Berlin, in which she was beaten by the American Helen Stephens, yet still managed to take home the silver. Due to the incredible time in which they ran their races and the unbelievable strength that both women carried, it was suggested that the pair were actually male posing as female in order to compete, with Stephens even forced to withstand a genital inspection. Going onto further success, Walsh was even inducted into the U.S Track and Field Hall of Fame. Sadly in 1980,Walsh was tragically killed during an armed robbery. As doctors performed an autopsy it was revealed that Walsh did indeed possess a chromosomal disorder, in which her genitalia was never truly verified, aiding some to believe that her achievements should be erased.
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