Jesse Owens was an American track and field athlete who competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He won four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100m relay, becoming the most successful athlete of the games. His success was a major blow to Nazi Germany's claims of Aryan superiority. Owens' achievements were even more remarkable considering he had to overcome racial discrimination in the United States.