Jesse Owens and Lutz Long
Most people know the story of how Jesse Owens annoyed Hitler, by winning four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. But what is less well known is the story of how his German rival, Lutz Long, helped him to qualify for the long jump final.
According to Owens, Long went to him and told him to try and jump from a spot several inches behind the take-off board. Since Owens routinely made distances far greater than the minimum of 7.15m required to advance, Long surmised that Owens would be able to safely advance to the next round without risking a foul trying to push for a greater distance.
Owens then beat Long in the final. They corresponded by letter until war broke out. Owens lived in a lot of poverty and Long was killed in the war.
The authorities at the World Championships have also remembered the rivalry and marked it in an appropriate way. This was from Tom Fordyce’s blog on the BBC.
Owens too is long gone, killed by lung cancer 29 years ago, but the two men’s families have kept the transatlantic bond strong. When Owen’s grand-daughter presents the medals on Saturday, she will be joined by Long’s grandson Kai. The symbolism of the moment will be lost on nobody.
Let’s hope that 2012 takes place in a similar atmosphere to the successful games in Berlin.
No comments yet.
The Anonymous Widower 
Leave a comment