Tenley Albright Wins Olympic Gold
On this day in 1956, figure skater Tenley Albright won the Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in Cortina, Italy. This should not have been a surprise, but it was. The 20-year-old from Newton was the clear favorite until she injured herself only two weeks before the games. Few people thought she would be able to compete. She skated flawlessly and became the first American figure skater to win gold. Tenley Albright had defied the odds before. Stricken with polio at age 11, she had skated her way to recovery. Her determination made her a great skater and, after her retirement from competition, helped her realize her other life ambition. She became a respected surgeon and medical researcher.
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