Owens had graduated East Tech High School in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1933. Three years later, in 1936, Owens made athletic history at the Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany, where he won four gold medals for Team USA, in the 100 meters, 200 meters, the 4×100 meter relay race, as well as the long jump. He had set multiple world records in his athletic career, where his long jump world record of 8.13 meters stood for 25 years.
Each year, the “Jesse Owens Award” is given to the male athlete, as the highest accolade in track and field. ESPN had ranked Owens as the “sixth-greatest North American athlete” of the 20th century, and the highest-ranked athlete in track and field.
Owens was a part of the inaugural class of the National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame, along with 29 other distinguished individuals, which included the late running legend Steve Prefontaine. For a complete listing of this year’s inductees, check out the official National High School Track and Field Hall of Fame.
He was also inducted into the following Hall of Fames: Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (1970), the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame (1974), the United States Olympic Hall of Fame (1983), as well as the IAAF Hall of Fame in 2012.
To learn more about the athletic career and legacy of Jesse Owens, check out his official homepage.
