The star of the games is Usain Bolt, the Jamaican who won three gold medals in the Olympics last year. Already at this World Championships he has won two gold medals and obliterated world records in the 100 and 200 meters. He has a great chance to win a third gold medal on the 4x100 relay this weekend.
Friday I watched Bolt’s flamboyant and joyful style at the 200 meter award ceremony. Besides the gold medal he received his second $100,000 check for setting another world record. After the sound system played the national anthem, the crowd sang happy birthday to Bolt for his 23rd birthday.
Before the World Championships began this week, Bolt said he wanted to emulate Jesse Owens. Jesse Owens was an African-American in the 1936 Olympics that were held in the same Berlin stadium. Hitler built the stadium to showcase and promote Aryan racial supremacy. Hitler’s philosophy was shattered before the world when Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100m.
At this World Championships American stars LaShawn Merritt and Allyson Felix dedicated the gold medals they won to the memory of Jesse Owens. The pair both said they were inspired by the spirit of Owens. In the early 1970’s I had the opportunity to visit Berlin for a few weeks. One day I set off by myself to find the Olympic Stadium. On that day the stadium seemed to be completely devoid of people. I ran a lap on the track alone in the empty stadium trying to imagine the thrill of that day for Jesse Owens and the shock for Adolf Hitler.
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