Jesse Owens was part of the US team, which competed in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Adolf Hitler refused to recognise Owens’ outstanding achievements because he was black.

Born in Danville, Alabama, James Cleveland Owens became known as one of the greatest athletes of all times. 

He excelled at track sports at high school. In 1935, as part of the Ohio University squad, he broke three world records and equalled a fourth all within less than an hour. Owens set a record of 26ft 8 1/4in. for the long jump, a record which was to stand for 25 years.

He ran the 220yd hurdles in 22.6 seconds, which was the first time 23secs was broken.

Later that year at the Berlin Olympic Games, Jesse Owens won four gold medals for the, 100m sprint, 200m sprint, long jump and as part of the 4x100m relay team. He set a new Olympic record in the long jump and new Olympic and World record in the 200m sprint.

He equalled the Olympic record in the 100m sprint and the US team smashed the Olympic and World record in the relay.

Hitler’s aim of proving the superiority of the Aryan race was thwarted by Jesse Owens, but Jesse’s achievements were not always recognised back home in the USA.

Despite his record-breaking performances in 1935 and 1936, he was not given the award of US Best Amateur Athlete in either year. On Jesse’s return from the Olympic Games, President Franklin Roosevelt neither invited him to the White house, nor sent him a letter of congratulations.