Sports1930–1980
Jesse Owens
At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Owens won four gold medals in front of Adolf Hitler and became the most powerful symbol of human dignity over ideology in sports history.
Origin
Oakville, Alabama
JO
The Athletic Record
Rank History
Not Yet Available
Ranking history will be available once voting opens for Jesse Owens.
Often Compared To
Usain Bolt
#2Track & Field — Trelawny, Jamaica · 2004–2017
The fastest human in recorded history — and the most entertaining. Bolt made sprinting must-watch television with his showmanship and records that may stand for generations.
Florence Griffith-Joyner
#3Track & Field — Los Angeles, California · 1980–1989
Flo-Jo set the 100m and 200m world records in 1988 that still stand today — one of the most dominant Olympic performances in history, combined with a style that made her an icon.