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How far did Alice Coachman jump?
5 feet 6 1/8 inches
In the high-jump finals Coachman leaped 5 feet 6 1/8 inches (1.68 m) on her first try. Her nearest rival, Britain’s Dorothy Tyler, matched Coachman’s jump, but only on her second try, making Coachman the only American woman to win a gold medal in that year’s Games.
What is Alice Coachman quote?
“I’ve always believed that I could do whatever I set my mind to do.”
How old was Alice Coachman when she won?
Ultimately, Coachman caught the attention of the athletic department at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, which offered the 16-year-old Coachman a scholarship in 1939. Her parents, who’d initially not been in favor of their daughter pursuing her athletic dreams, gave their blessing for her to enroll.
How tall was Alice Coachman in the Olympics?
Born in Albany, Georgia, on November 9, 1923, Alice Coachman made history at the 1948 Olympics in London when she leapt to a record-breaking height of 5 feet, 6 and 1/8 inches in the high jump finals to become the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
When did Alice Coachman become a Coca Cola spokesperson?
And although she was formally retired from athletic competitions, Coachman’s star power remained: In 1952, the Coca-Cola Company tapped her to become a spokesperson, making Coachman the first African American to earn an endorsement deal.
Where did Alice Coachman go to high school?
At Madison High School, Coachman came under the tutelage of the boys’ track coach, Harry E. Lash, who recognized and nurtured her talent. Ultimately, Coachman caught the attention of the athletic department at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama, which offered the 16-year-old Coachman a scholarship in 1939.
When was Alice Coachman inducted into the Hall of Fame?
At the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, she was honored as one of the 100 greatest Olympians in history. She’s also been inducted into nine different halls of fame, including the National Track & Field Hall of Fame (1975) and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame (2004).