• Berlin 1936

Berlin 1936 - Key Moments

ESPN staff
October 12, 2011
Berlin 1936: Key Moments | Quick Hits | Key Facts | Medal Table | Gallery | Olympics Histories Home

Jesse Owen topped the podium after the long jump, flanked by Germany's Lutz Long and Naoto Tajima of Japan © PA Photos
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The Flame of hope
Berlin saw the introduction of the torch relay, based on an idea by Dr Carl Diem, as the Olympic Flame was carried from Olympia through seven countries before arriving in Germany.

Owens steals the show
The Games are about a celebration of sport, but Berlin was overshadowed by Adolf Hitler and his attempts to promote Aryan racial superiority. The star of the Games turned out to be an African-American by the name of Jesse Owens. He won four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and long jump.

Broadcasting history made
Hitler was determined to promote his Germany and he attempted to show them as forward thinking by erecting 25 large television screens for the public to watch the action for free. It was the first Olympics broadcast and made the Games available to 160,000 people.

Youth makes its mark
American 13-year-old Marjorie Gestring won gold in springboard diving and remains the youngest female gold medallist in the history of the summer Olympics, while Denmark's Inge Sorensen took bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke at the age of 12, making her the youngest medallist in an individual event.

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