Stephens, Helen H.
Track and Field
b. Feb. 3, 1918, Fulton, MO
d. January 17, 1994
The "Fulton Flash" was timed in 5.8 seconds, matching the world record, the first time she ever ran the 50-yard dash, during a high school physical education class. High school track coach Burton Moore than began to train her.
A few days after her seventeenth birthday, Stephens entered the 1935 AAU national indoor meet. Wearing a borrowed sweatshirt and track shoes, she astounded everyone but herself by beating the great Stella Walsh in the 50-meter dash, tying the world record of 6.6 seconds. She also won the shot put and the standing broad jump. The versatile Stephens won the AAU outdoor 100-meter and 200-meter dashes and the discus throw that year.
In 1935, she enrolled at William Woods College in Missouri, where was on the basketball, bowling, fencing, and swimming teams, as well as the track and field squad. Stephens won the 50-meter dash, standing broad jump, and shot put again in the 1936 AAU indoor meet.
She qualified for the 100-meter dash, shot put, and discus throw at the 1936 Olympic trials and won the 100-meter in a world record 11.5 seconds at the Berlin Games. The record stood until 1960. She won another gold medal on the 4 by 100-meter relay team. Associated Press sportswriters named her female athlete of the year for her performances.
After her 100-meter victory, Stephens was taken to meet Adolph Hitler in his box. She later recalled the meeting: "Hitler comes in and gives me the Nazi salute. I gave him a good old Missouri handshake. He shook my hand, put his arm around me, pinched me, and invited me to spend a weekend with him."
Stephens won national championships in the 50-meter and 200-meter dashes and the shot put in 1937 and then retired from amateur competition. In just 30 months, she had competed in more than a hundred races without being defeated.
The 6-foot Stephens turned professional and toured with Jesse Owens, running exhibition races. She also played for barnstorming professional basketball and softball teams until joining the Marine Corps during World War II.
Stephens became a special advisor to the track program at her alma mater in 1978. She returned to competition in the 1980 Senior Olympics, winning seven gold medals. In seven years of Senior Olympic competition, she remained undefeated in the sprint races.