Jesse Owens was an American track and field athlete who achieved fame at 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 ideology, as Adolf Hitler had intended to use the Olympics to showcase Aryan superiority. Owens' performance was a powerful statement against racism and discrimination.