Gold Medal Olympic Champion

1
Jesse Owens

• Gold Medal Olympic Champion

2
The Early Years

• Owens was born on September 12, 1913 in Oakville,
  Alabama.
• He was the tenth child born to sharecroppers,
  Harry and Mary Owens.
• As a child Owens was frail and sickly and
  suffered regularly from bronchitis and pneumonia.

3
The Early Years

• At the age of seven, Owens moved to Cleveland
  with his parents.
• There he worked as a gas station attendant in
  order to help support his family.

4
High School

• Jesse Owens was an All-American athlete in high
  school.
• He broke his first world record at the young age
  of 15.

5
College Life

• Owens attended Ohio State University from
  1933-1936 and was their number one track and
  field athlete.
• At a 1936 college meet in Michigan he broke three
  world records and tied one in just 45 minutes.

6
Olympics

• At the 1936 summer Olympics, Owens won gold
  medals in these four events
• 100 meter dash
• long jump
• 200 meter dash 400 meter relay

7
Olympics

• Also at the 1936 summer Olympics, Owens set the
  Olympic record in the 200 meter with a time of
  20.7 seconds, in the long jump with a distance of
  26 ¼ inches, and in the 400 meter relay with a
  time of 39.8 seconds.
• His 400 meter relay time also set a world record,
  and his 100 meter dash time of 10.3 seconds tied
  the world record.
• Owens is the first track star to win four gold
  medals in one Olympics.

8
Achievements off the Track

• In the early 1950s Owens was the Sports
  Specialist of the State of Illinois 19th
  Commission.
• In 1976, he was awarded the Medal of Freedom
  during a ceremony at the White House.
• Owens always stayed honest and sincere, which
  increased his popularity with fans.

9
Retirement

• After retiring from sports, Owens got a career in
  public relations.
• Owens believed that athletics and competition
  could solve racial and political problems.
• He traveled widely giving speeches about clean
  living, fair play, and patriotism.
• Owens also worked in community service, mainly
  working with the youth.
• However Owens was a heavy smoker and died of lung
  cancer on March 31, 1980.