8 Chapter 7 A Legend Is Born

Chapter 7 A Legend Is Born On August 1, athletes from forty-nine nations marched into Olympic Stadium at the Opening Ceremonies. Bands played, pigeons were released in celebration, and the Olympic

torch arrived in front of more than one hundred thousand spectators. The Berlin Olympics marked the first time the torch was carried from city to city in the host country before arriving at the stadium. This tradition has been a part of the Olympics ever since.

On August 3, Jesse competed in the finals for the 100-meter dash. He approached the starting line. Next to him were runners from the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden,

along with two fellow Americans. He carefully dug his feet into the small holes he had made in the track. The imprints would help him start running quickly. The crowd grew silent, awaiting the starting pistol. Crack! At the sound, Jesse and the other five runners sprinted forward. The race was close for only a moment. Then Jesse

pulled ahead. Running with his usual calm, easy grace, he sprinted across the finish line first. He was a gold-medal champion . . . and now the "fastest man in the world." Soon he stood atop a small platform called a podium. One step below him stood silver-medalist Ralph Metcalfe. Hitler and the Nazis believed whites were the greatest race on the planet. Jesse Owens and Ralph Metcalfe had proven them wrong. The bronze medalist was Martinus Osendarp from the Netherlands. Jesse was presented with a crown of laurel leaves, an Olympic tradition dating back to ancient Greece. A gold medal was placed around his neck. He stood at attention as "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played in the heart of Nazi Germany.

"The competition was grand, and I'm glad to come out on top," Jesse told reporters.