SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE MORGUE ALIVE
Mistakenly identified as dead, she was placed in the trunk of a car, and driven to the morgue where it was discovered that she was still alive but in a coma. It took her years to walk normally again but she returned to track and field and was part of the US relay team at the 1936 Summer Olympics where her team won gold.
Elizabeth "Betty" Robinson Schwartz was born in 1911 in Riverdale, Illinois. She had a natural talent for running and quickly gained a reputation as a top sprinter in her high school. In 1928, at the age of just 16, she competed in the Women's 100m sprint at the Amsterdam Olympics and won the gold medal, becoming the first woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal for track and field. This achievement was all the more impressive given that it was the first time women were allowed to compete in track and field events at the Olympics.
However, just a few years later, Schwartz's life took a tragic turn. In 1931, she was involved in a plane crash that left her critically injured and in a coma. Her injuries were so severe that she was mistakenly identified as dead and placed in the trunk of a car. It was only when she arrived at the morgue that her rescuers realized she was still alive. Schwartz's road to recovery was long and difficult. She had to learn to walk again, and it took her several years to regain full mobility.
Despite the setback, Schwartz remained determined to return to the sport she loved. She began training again and slowly but surely regained her strength and speed. In 1936, she competed in the Women's 4x100m relay at the Berlin Olympics, where her team won the gold medal. This was a remarkable achievement given the adversity she had faced and her long road to recovery.
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