Birmingham native Vonetta Flowers, shown here returning to Birmingham after winning Olympic gold in bobsled in the 2002 Winter Olympics, was the first African American to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. A former track and field star for the University of Alabama at Birmingham, she was recruited by the U.S. Olympic bobsled leadership for her power and speed.
Vonetta Flowers
![](https://bunny-wp-pullzone-5vqgtgkbhi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/m-9934.jpg)
Courtesy of the Birmingham News. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Appears In
![](https://bunny-wp-pullzone-5vqgtgkbhi.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/m-9934.jpg)