In the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Jessie Owens, a four-time Olympic gold medalist by the end of the competition, was coined “the most successful athlete at the Games.” As a black man, Owen was credited with “single-handedly crushing Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy.”
The picture was taken during the era of Nazi Germany, and you can see the members of the German team shamelessly holding the Nazi Salute during the medal ceremony for the winners of the long jump competition. Jessie Owens (U.S.A) team took first place, Luz Long (Germany) took second, and Tajima (Japan). Surprisingly, Long and Owens befriended each other during the Olympic games. Owen once said, “It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me in front of Hitler…”.
Dad To The Rescue
Derek Redmond, now retired, is an accomplished track runner who held the British record for the 400 m sprint and helped bring his team to take the gold at European and World championships 4x400 relay races. His career, however, was halted after some serious injuries. During the 400-meter semi-finals in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain, Redmond felt something in his leg "snap"; he tore his hamstring mid-race.
Redmond immediately fell to his knees but soon got up, and despite the excruciating pain, he continued to limp to the finish line. With the help of his father, who came running to the track, Redmond managed to complete his final lap. Although he was disqualified and listed as "Did Not Finish" due to receiving outside assistance to finish the race, the crowd gave Redmond a well-deserved standing ovation. The incident has become well-remembered as one of the most heartwarming moments in Olympic history.
Olympic Figure Skater In The Making
While this young Norwegian girl had fun skating, little did she know that she would become a world-famous figure skater and film star. The young skater is none other than Sonja Henie, a 3-time Olympic Champion in Ladies' Singles, a six-time European Champion, and a 10-time World Champion.
As mentioned before, Henie was also a successful movie star and one of the highest-paid stars in Hollywood. Her most noteworthy appearances include the box-office hits: Thin Ice (1937), My Lucky Star (1938), Second Fiddle (1939), and Sun Valley Serenade (1941).
Post-Apartheid South Africa
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was hosted and won by South Africa. It was the 3rd Rugby World Cup. With South African apartheid ending only a year prior and Nelson Mandela being the country's new president, this photo moment is thought to be one of the most famous finals of any sport.
In the cup's final, held in Johannesburg in June of that year, South Africa defeated New Zealand 15–12. Following South Africa's victory, Nelson Mandela, wearing a Springboks rugby shirt and cap, presented the South African captain François Pienaar with the Webb Ellis Cup.
The First Female NASCAR Driver
Think about being a professional NASCAR driver at a time when women were expected to just stay-at-home moms. For Sara Christian, this was not an option. She spent ages working hard to become the world’s first female NASCAR driver. In 1949, she was the first female NASCAR driver who competed in six out of eight events during her first and only full year.
Christian received the United States Drivers Association Woman Driver of the Year award. By 1949, she drove her Ford at the Charlotte Speedway and finished in 13th place. She raced for two years, starting in 1949 and ending her racing career in 1950. Later in 2004, Sara Christian was inducted into the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame.