Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1936 Berlin 100 m Gold 1936 Berlin 200 m Gold 1936 Berlin 4x100 m relay Gold 1936 Berlin Long jump James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the long jump, and as part of the 4x100 meter relay team. He was the most successful athlete at the 1936 Summer Olympics. He has the Jesse Owens Award accolade named after him in honor of his significant career..