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Jesse Owens

by Kevin from Roseville

"We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort."

Jesse Owens is not a man who is a hero just because he is fast. Some people might say that they know him for just that reason. There are lots of fast people who are not known. Jesse Owens is known because Chancellor Adolf Hitler, the Fuhrer of the Nazis, did not shake the hand of Jesse Owens or even recognize his feat of winning four gold medals, because Owens was an African American. Jesse Owens is a man of hard work, determination, and perseverance. We all can appreciate the work of the 'Buckeye Bullet.'


Born on September 12 in the year of 1913, James Cleveland Owens wanted to run before he could walk...and he emerged as a rising star at Cleveland East Technical High School, winning three events at the 1933 Interscholastic Championships in Chicago. Every college was looking at him as a potential star on the track. On May 25, 1935, while running for Ohio State University, Jesse Owens equaled the world record for the 100-yard dash (9.4 sec) and broke the world records for the 220-yard dash (20.3 sec), 220-yard low hurdles (22.6 sec), and the long jump (8.13 meters [26.67 ft]). "I decided I wasn't going to come down. I was going to fly. I was going to stay up in the air forever," said Owens after jumping. Owens would go on to become the greatest champion of his time.


Jesse Owens did not know what to think going in to the Olympics. The Olympics were being held in Berlin, and Chancellor Adolf Hitler, the host of the Olympics, was known to be racist. He would be intimidated by the crowd and the pressure of performing in front of the world. The only thing that mattered to him, though, was that he was going to run. He had determination and perseverance to do the best that he could. Owens ended the 1936 Berlin Olympics with four gold medals hanging around his neck. These medals, one of which represented beating the world record and one that bested the Olympic record, were not easily won. He ran the 100-meter run (10.3 sec, an Olympic record), 200-meter run (20.7 sec, a world record), the long jump (8.06 meters[26.4 ft]), and the 4 X 100-meter relay (39.8 sec).

He transformed from a fast kid from Oakville, Alabama to the fastest man alive and a hero to not only the USA, but to much of the world. He befriended many people in his track career. One big influence in his life was a German long jumper, Carl Long, who helped Jesse in a long jump competition and later became a very close friend. After he was done with running, Owens engaged in many boys' guidance activities, and made goodwill visits to India and East Asia. He also served as a secretary of the Illinois State Athletic Commission and worked in public relations. He died on March 31, 1980 in Tucson, Arizona at the age of 66.

Jesse Owens is a heroic man, not only to me but to many others. It took courage to race in front of Hitler and many other racist people. It took time, determination, and perseverance to race like him. Of his Olympic achievements, Owens would say, "It dawned on me with blinding brightness. I realized, I had jumped into another rare kind of stratosphere – one that only a handful of people in every generation are lucky enough to know." He was a man who would not give up hope, but search for more every second. He is more of an Olympic champion than any other athlete to ever touch foot on an Olympic track, at least to me.


James Cleveland Owens was a man who overcame many obstacles in order to become one of the greatest Olympic champions to ever live. Some of his records held for a long time, such as the long jump (8.64 meters), which was not broken for twenty-five years. He and his wife, Ruth, were happily married and had three kids: Gloria, Beverly, and Marlene. Jesse Owens is a man who should be showcased in the "People Hall of Fame", for he showed the world that African Americans could compete and excel in the Olympics as well as anyone else, and he did that by winning four gold medals, and setting over five world records. He is an enduring hero for far more than his medals and victories -- he is a hero for his determination and character.

Page created on 11/13/2009 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 11/13/2009 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Related Links

Jesse Owens' Official Website - Jesse Owens Olympic Legend
Jesse Owens Museum - For more info about Olympic Gold Medalist Jesse Owens
LibraryThinkquest - Biography of Jesse Owens

Extra Info

Quotes and info courtesy of JesseOwens.com