Polio is a viral disease that attacks the nervous system, causing muscle weakness and paralysis. Wilma Rudolph was a famous American athlete who contracted polio as a young child, but her determination and perseverance allowed her to overcome the illness and become one of the world's fastest runners. She is often referred to as the "fastest woman on earth" and is a source of inspiration for many people around the world. The exact year that Wilma Rudolph contracted polio is unknown, but it is believed to have occurred during her early childhood in the 1940s.