Other editions of book Jesse Owens: Legendary Gold Medal Olympian

"I always loved running," said track and field legend Jesse Owens, who as a boy could outrun all his playmates. That blazing speed helped Owens set track records in junior high, high school, and on into college at Ohio State University. At one Big Ten meet, he smashed three world records and tied a fourth in 45 minutes. By the time Owens competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, people used words like "express" and "comet to describe him. Germany's leader, Adolf Hitler, and his Nazi party believed that Jews, African-Americans, and other groups were inferior beings. Jesse Owens proved them wrong by winning four gold medals.This previously published biography contains updates, revisions, new cover and photos, and hyperlinks. Jesse Owens succeeded in spite of the racism of his day, poverty, and other obstacles. He met these issues with strength, perseverance, and grace. A man of determination and courage, he rose above the bigotry of the era to become a consummate athlete, humanitarian, friend and role model for youth, and ambassador of sports.