Owens, Jesse
1913-1980 · Contribution: 1935-1936
Track and field athlete
Won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, directly undermining Nazi claims of Aryan racial supremacy

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Quick facts
- Born
- 1913, Oakville, Alabama
- Active since
- 1933
- Category
- Sports & Athletics
- Best known for
- Four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
Impact on the world
Owens' four golds in Berlin, in front of Adolf Hitler, directly undermined Nazi claims of Aryan racial supremacy and became one of the defining moments in the history of sport.
Sources
- Encyclopædia Britannica
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