The First Black Woman To Win Olympic Gold Has Passed Away At 90

MT @USOlympic: Saddened by loss of Alice Coachman. Did more than jump high—she broke barriers http://t.co/8x5sSGRC4S pic.twitter.com/BrIGzGd5Hh

— USATF (@usatf) July 15, 2014

Alice Coachman, the track and field star whose high jump at the 1948 London Olympics made her the first African-American woman to take home gold, passed away on Monday several months after suffering a stroke. She was 90.

The United States Olympic Committee issued a statement on Coachman’s passing, saying “Alice literally set the bar with her accomplishments at the 1948 Games, but Olympic champion is only part the incredible legacy she leaves behind […] Alice Coachman Davis has inspired generations of athletes to be their best and she will be missed.”

In addition to her Olympic achievements, Coachman won 10 consecutive U.S. titles and is honored in nine halls of fame.

(via The Huffington Post, image via Amazon)

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