Ninety years on from the Berlin Olympics, Jesse Owens's four gold medals remain one of the most powerful stories in sport. In the space of a week in August 1936 he won the 100m, the long jump, the 200m and the sprint relay in front of a watching world.
A year earlier he had produced perhaps the greatest 45 minutes in athletics history. Here is his story, and you can shop every design in our Jesse Owens collection.
Jesse Owens Fact File
| Full name | James Cleveland Owens |
| Date of birth | 12 September 1913 |
| Place of birth | Oakville, Alabama, USA |
| Died | 31 March 1980, Tucson, Arizona (aged 66) |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Events | Sprints and long jump |
| Nationality | American |
| College | Ohio State University |
| Nickname | The Buckeye Bullet |
Career History
| Year | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | Big Ten Championships, Ann Arbor | Five world records and one equalled in 45 minutes |
| 1935 | Long jump world record | 8.13 m, unbeaten for 25 years |
| 1936 | Olympic 100m, Berlin | Gold, 10.3s |
| 1936 | Olympic long jump, Berlin | Gold, 8.06 m |
| 1936 | Olympic 200m, Berlin | Gold, 20.7s |
| 1936 | Olympic 4×100m relay, Berlin | Gold, 39.8s (world record) |
Times are hand-timed, as was standard in the 1930s. Owens competed at one Olympic Games and won gold in all four of his events.
From Alabama to Ohio State
James Cleveland Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama, in 1913 and moved with his family to Cleveland, Ohio, at the age of nine. At East Technical High School he equalled the 100-yard world record of 9.4 seconds. He enrolled at Ohio State University in 1933.
Running for the Buckeyes, he was affectionately known as the Buckeye Bullet.
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The Greatest 45 Minutes
On 25 May 1935, at the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Owens set five world records and equalled a sixth in the space of about 45 minutes.
He equalled the 100-yard record of 9.4 seconds, then set new marks in the long jump, the 220 yards and the 220 yards low hurdles. His long jump of 8.13 m stood as the world record for 25 years, until Ralph Boston broke it in 1960.
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Four Golds in Berlin
At the 1936 Olympics, Owens won the 100m in 10.3 seconds on 3 August, the long jump with 8.06 m on 4 August and the 200m in 20.7 seconds on 5 August.
On 9 August he joined Ralph Metcalfe, Foy Draper and Frank Wykoff, in the United States 4×100m relay team, winning a fourth gold in a world record 39.8 seconds.
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Recognition and Legacy
Recognition at home was slow to come, but it did arrive. In 1976 President Gerald Ford awarded Owens the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in 1990 he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
Since 1981 USA Track & Field has presented the Jesse Owens Award to the year's outstanding athlete, and Ohio State's Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium was dedicated in 2001.
Honours
Olympic Games
- Gold, 100m: Berlin 1936
- Gold, long jump: Berlin 1936
- Gold, 200m: Berlin 1936
- Gold, 4×100m relay: Berlin 1936 (world record)
World records
- Long jump: 8.13 m (1935), unbeaten until 1960
- Five world records set and one equalled at Ann Arbor, 25 May 1935
Honours
- Presidential Medal of Freedom (1976)
- Congressional Gold Medal (1990, posthumous)
- Jesse Owens Award named in his honour (from 1981)
Away From the Track
Owens married Minnie Ruth Solomon in July 1935, and they had three daughters, Gloria, Marlene and Beverly. They remained married until his death in 1980, and his name lives on through the award and the Ohio State stadium that bear it.
FAQs
How old was Jesse Owens when he died?
Jesse Owens died on 31 March 1980 in Tucson, Arizona, aged 66.
Where was Jesse Owens born?
He was born in Oakville, Alabama, in the United States.
How tall was Jesse Owens?
Owens stood 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m).
How many gold medals did Jesse Owens win?
Four, all at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin: the 100m, 200m, long jump and 4×100m relay.
What did Jesse Owens do at Ann Arbor in 1935?
At the Big Ten Championships on 25 May 1935 he set five world records and equalled a sixth in around 45 minutes.
How long did Jesse Owens's long jump record last?
His 8.13 m world record from 1935 stood for 25 years, until Ralph Boston beat it in 1960.
Shop the Jesse Owens Collection
Celebrate one of the Olympics' greatest heroes with our made-to-order hoodies and T-shirts, printed in the UK.
Jesse Owens Men's Hoodie
£39.99
Shop every design in our Jesse Owens collection. Explore the full athletics collection for more track and field legends. Want your own name on the back instead? Design a custom name hoodie.
Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Carl Lewis Career Story and Usain Bolt Career Story.
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