Jesse Owens

Hello, I'm Jesse Owens. When I was a little boy, my favorite thing to do was run. I loved to run outside and feel the wind on my face. I would run as fast as my legs could carry me. I pretended I was as quick as the wind, zipping and zooming all around. Running made me feel happy and free, like I could go anywhere in the whole wide world.

When I grew up, I kept running and practicing. In the year 1936, I got to go to a very special, big race called the Olympics. It was so exciting. I ran my fastest and jumped my farthest. And guess what? I won four shiny gold medals. Let’s count them together. One, two, three, four. Four gold medals for running and jumping. It was a very happy day.

Winning those medals was so much fun, but I learned something very important. I learned that being kind to others and always trying your best is what really matters most. I lived to be 66 years old. People today remember me for my fast running. They also remember me for showing the world that friendship is the best prize you can ever win.