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Sportshour: Jesse Owens: The Olympics' most powerful icon

Discussion & Talk

Jesse Owens: The Olympics' most powerful icon

06/08/2016 GMT

BBC World Service - Sportshour, Jesse Owens: The Olympics' most powerful icon

80 years on from Jesse Owens' four golds at the 1936 Olympics, we hear from his daughters

On the 80th anniversary of Jesse Owens' four golds at the Berlin Olympics, we speak to his daughters

Whatever sporting achievements are made in Rio, they are unlikely to surpass the significance of those created by one man exactly 80 years ago. When Jessie Owens won FOUR gold medals in front of Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Olympics of 1936 he didn't only create a record breaking sporting achievement, he left an indelible image for the world that is as powerful today as it was back then. We speak to two of his daughters Marlene and Beverly Owens, on their father and his legacy.

"Rock climbing saved my Life"
In the week climbing was announced as an Olympic sport for 2022 we head to Voss about 400 km east of the capital Norwegian capital Oslo. That’s where extreme Athlete Jamie Leibert was fresh from climbing up, and then throwing himself off a mountain! Jamie had it tough growing up, he was addicted to drugs and alcohol, and spent time in prison. He tells us how "rock climbing saved his life" and how he’s encouraging others to follow him.

No More Queue for the Loo: 
Whilst most of us will be fixated with the action on the track at the Rio Games, there will be a small select group whose focus will on the stadium itself. John Roberts & Rita Ochoa have designed parts of stadia like Old Trafford and the for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and give us their critique of the new Olympic stadium in Rio. They also reveal that they are working on new stadium designs that offer a solution to one of life’s biggest annoyances… Long queues for the loos at major events!

Spanish Sevens Smiles:
Despite being the lowest ranked and least well-funded at the Olympics, the Spanish 7’s team will make plenty of friends in Rio, even if a medal is unlikely. We hear about their qualification, including how they were caught up in Tropical Cyclone Winston when it hit land in Fiji earlier this year. Not only did they help locals out cleaning up the mess, they donated the prize money they won from competing that week. 

Sporting Witness… In 1976, Nadia Comaneci of Romania became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games. She talks about her achievement and her upbringing under the Ceausescu regime. 

Photo: Owen's on top of the podium at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin: Credit: Getty Images

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