Before the world knew  names like Jackie Joyner-Kersee or Florence Griffith Joyner, there was a young girl in southwest Georgia running barefoot on dirt roads. Alice Coachman didn't have the luxury of fancy tracks or state-of-the-art equipment. Instead, she spent her childhood creating her own hurdles out of old rags and sticks, proving that heart and hustle can't be held back by a lack of resources.

Growing up in the deep South during the height of segregation meant that even finding a place to practice was a battle. But the hurdles weren't just on the track.  They were at home, too. Coachman often shared that her father wanted her to stay on the porch and act more like a "young lady." Fortunately for the history books, she had other plans.

By the time she was 15, Coachman was already a force, snagging her first of 10 straight AAU high jump titles. Just as she was hitting her stride, World War II forced the cancellation of the 1940 and 1944 Olympics. Most athletes would have hung up their spikes after losing eight years of their prime, but Coachman stayed ready.

When the 1948 London Games finally rolled around, she made sure the wait was worth it. She cleared 5 feet 6 1/8 inches on her very first try, shattering records and becoming the first Black woman from any country to stand on top of that Olympic podium. King George VI himself handed her the gold,  signaling to the world that Black women were a dominant force in athletics.

Coachman’s impact didn't stop when she walked off the field. She went on to become a teacher and used her platform to launch the Alice Coachman Track and Field Foundation, helping young athletes who faced the same financial struggles she did.