Owens, Jesse

Owens, Jesse (1913-1980), American athlete.

Jesse Owens was an African American athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 olympics in Berlin. On 25 May, 1935, J. C. Owens, who was always called Jesse, performed one of the greatest athletic feats in history at Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In the space of forty-five minutes, he broke six world records in four events. These were, 100 yards: 9-4 seconds, long jump: 8-13 meters, 220 yards low hurdles (straight course): 22-6 seconds (also 200 metres low hurdles record), 220 yards (straight course): 20-3 seconds (also 200 meters record). The long jump record was not bettered for twenty-five years.

In the Olympic Games at Berlin in 1936, Owens won four gold medals-in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump and 4x100 meters relay.

See Jeremy Schaap Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics