Ohio State
After Owens' very successful career in high school, colleges were clamoring for him to join their track and field team. After much reluctance, Owens chose to attend Ohio State University. In his few years there, he accomplished many feats that some people can only dream of achieving. First of all, as he was on the Ohio state track team, he set or broke many national, Olympic, and world records. This is an action that many cannot even imagine completing. Also, while still in his junior and senior years of high school, Owens participated in the Big Ten Championships (1935) and the Berlin Olympics (1936). Clearly, Owens contributed greatly to Ohio State as a track and field team member.
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Big Ten Championships-1935
A huge part of Owens' career was the Big Ten Championships. In 1935, the Big Ten championships were held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At this major college event, Owens broke three world records. The world records that he broke were in the long jump, 220 yard sprint, and 220 hurdles. This clearly shows his athletic prowess and his advanced speed and jumping abilities. This may seem like not a big deal, but it is a very big deal. At the time, people of color were not acknowledged or even shown as equal to people who were not colored. However, Jesse Owens stood as a beacon of hope for colored men and women throughout the US. His fame and outstanding performances showed people that African-Americans and people of color could do things. They could be equal to whites. This showed many non colored people that African Americans could contribute to sport as well. Furthermore, not only did Owens defy and stand up to the racism at the time, but it also brought awareness to the problem in our country. This career point was an amazing moment for not only Jesse Owens, not just Ohio State, but for colored men, women, and children around the nation.
1936 Berlin Olympics
After the Big 10 championships, just before Owen's senior year, Owens traveled to Berlin, Germany to take part in the 1936 Summer Olympics. Owens was one of the biggest sensations at the Olympics, winning gold first in the 200 meter, 100 meter and the 4 x 100 meter relay. His final event was the long jump. This was Jesse Owen's powerhouse. He had excelled at the Big Ten Championships, and came in confident. At first he had his struggles tough, in the preliminaries, he continued to fault and risked missing the finals. On his last jump, a German named Luz Long came over and placed a towel on the ground. He said to jump where the towel lay. Jesse did ad Long said, and managed to jump far enough to be put into the finals. During these finals, Luz and Jesse battled it out, each jumping farther than the other. Owens had the final jump and took advantage. He sailed past Long's last jump, landing him a spot on the podium. This gold medal, however insignificant, represented a German who had been a good person. It took a lot of courage to befriend Owens in front of Hitler. This meant a lot, and was a huge part of how Jesse Owens defied Hitler and his pro-Nazi tactics. Owens became an international sensation when he won 4 gold medals. Clearly, Owens' performance at the Berlin Olympics was the peak of his athletic career, and the beginning of his impact on others.
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Jesse Owens and Luz Long battle for Gold in the Long Jump.