MelissaA
Brenton
Shilpa Karhik
IS SHE, ISN'T SHE?!!
April 30th 2009 13:48
During the 1936 Olympic Games, Stella Walsh, otherwise known as Stanislawa Walasiewicz, a Polish sprinter, was then known internationally as the fastest woman in the world, so when she was beaten by Helen Stephens of the U.S. who simultaneously set a world record, running 100 metres in 11.4 seconds, a Polish journalist protested that Helen Stephens must be a man.
Supporters of Stella Walsh joined in the protest, arguing that no woman could possibly run that fast.
Olympic officials examined Helen Stephens, and found her to indeed be female, proving that a woman could run that fast after all.
44 years later, Stella Walsh, who had been living in the U.S. as an American citizen, was fatally shot in the parking lot of a store in Cleveland.
An autopsy was performed which revealed a much bigger surprise. According to the autopsy results it was actually Stella Walsh, and not Helen Stephens who had been playing the part of a female sprint champion at the Olympics all this time.
Supporters of Stella Walsh joined in the protest, arguing that no woman could possibly run that fast.
Olympic officials examined Helen Stephens, and found her to indeed be female, proving that a woman could run that fast after all.
44 years later, Stella Walsh, who had been living in the U.S. as an American citizen, was fatally shot in the parking lot of a store in Cleveland.
An autopsy was performed which revealed a much bigger surprise. According to the autopsy results it was actually Stella Walsh, and not Helen Stephens who had been playing the part of a female sprint champion at the Olympics all this time.
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