Jesse Owens was one of the greatest athletes in American history. Owens made his mark in 1936 when he won four gold medals at the Olympic Games in Berlin. In his dominance, he embarrassed Adolph Hitler, who was trying to use the games to showcase Aryan supremacy. Owens died from cancer on March 31, 1980.

On this Day: Jesse Owens wins fourth gold medal at 1936 Olympic Games

Sports

JuliaKate E. Culpepper, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Eighty-one years ago on Aug. 9, 1936, United States track star Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal at the Berlin Olympic Games when the United States won the 4x100 relay.

Owens and the United States relay team set a new world record for the 4x100 relay of 39.8 seconds which stood for 20 years.

In the final, the United States won gold, Italy won silver with a time of 41.1 seconds and Germany won bronze with a time of 41.2 seconds.

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