Jul 24

Jul 24 Black Olympic Legends Throughout History

Black Culture, Black History, Black Icons

We are celebrating the extraordinary contributions of Black athletes who have graced the world's biggest sporting stage, the Olympic Games. The Olympics has been a platform for unparalleled athletic achievements, and Black athletes have consistently left an indelible mark on its history. Beyond iconic figures such as Jesse Owens and Usain Bolt, countless individuals have risen to prominence, breaking records and barriers, inspiring millions around the world.

Team USA, Power to the People

The United States has produced eras of countless Black Olympic champions. Jesse Owens, who has to be the embodiment of athletic excellence, defied Nazi propaganda about the Aryan race by winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Jesse became the face of the games, much to Adolf Hitler’s frustration and his triumph was a powerful symbol of human rights.

Ralph Metcalfe, Owens' teammate, also excelled on the track, winning silver in the 100 metres and gold in the 4x100 relay at the same Olympic Game. Their performances, alongside other African American athletes, completely turned the Nazi agenda on its head in what they believed would be a global platform to show Black people as inferior.

The civil rights movement of the 1960s found a powerful voice in the world of sports. Tommie Smith and John Carlos, with their iconic black-gloved salute on the podium at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, transformed the Games into a stage for social justice. Their protest against racial inequality resonated globally, making them symbols of resistance around the world.

Florence Griffith Joyner, the iconic "Flo-Jo," changed the game for women's sprinting with her unbelievable speed and captivating style. Flo gave her most iconic appearance at the 1998 Seoul Olympics, where she swept the 100m and 200m gold medals, setting world records in both events that still stand today. She also won gold in the 4x100m relay. Her record-breaking performances made her a global superstar.

Simone Biles, at the age of 27 is the greatest gymnist in history. She began her senior Olympic medal winning journey at the Rio games in 2016 and lived up to all the hype surrounding her name winning four gold medals and bronze. Like a number of athletes, Biles withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. However, Biles is setting the 2024 Olympics games alight securing her position as The GOAT.

Caribbean Lightning Speed

The Caribbean islands have somehow produced a disproportionate number of world-class sprinters. Jamaica, in particular, has become synonymous with speed. Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet, redefined the limits of human speed with his multiple Olympic gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres. The 2012 Olympics in London was where he truly cemented his iconic status by running 100 metres in 9.63 seconds, and he even slowed down towards the finish line. People all over the world still do his signature lighting bolt move.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, another Jamaican sprint sensation, has been the opponent to beat for over a decade. Her explosive starts and powerful finishes have earned her multiple Olympic gold medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games. She also won gold in relay in 2020 in Tokyo.

Veronica Campbell-Brown, also from Jamaica, has added to the Caribbean sprint legacy with her own collection of Olympic medals. She won gold in the 200 metres in 2004 games in Athens and 2008 in Beijing, she also won the 4x100 in 2004. Kirani James is Grenada's most famous athlete, James won the 400-metre gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, becoming the youngest Olympic champion in the event's history.

And proving it’s not all about a sprint finish for the islands to win gold, Keshorn Walcott became the first Trini to win gold in the javelin event at the 2012 London Olympics.

Africa’s Long-running Excellence

Africa has a rich tradition of long-distance running, with Kenya and Ethiopia producing some of the greatest athletes in history. Their dominance in the sport started with Abebe Bikila, an Ethiopian marathon runner, who made history by becoming the first Black African to win an Olympic gold medal. He won gold in the 1960 Rome games barefoot and broke the world record, running the marathon in 2:15:16, immediately making him a world legend and an Ethiopian hero. He went on to win gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and break his own record.

Haile Gebrselassie, another Ethiopian running legend, built upon Bikila's foundation. He dominated long-distance running for more than a decade, winning gold at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics in Atlanta and Sydney. Gebrselassie's precision, tactical brilliance, and incredible endurance made him a formidable competitor and household name.

Kipchoge Keino from Kenya was a two-time Olympic gold medalist, who won the 1500 meters in the 1968 games in Mexico City, and did so in absolute style, with a 20 meter margin the largest victory in the event's history. Keino also won gold in the 3000-meter steeplechase in 1972 in Munich, despite having hardly any experience in the race, going in as the underdog.

Faith Kipyegon, another Kenyan middle-distance runner, redefined the standards of the 1500 meters. Often hailed as the "smiling destroyer," won gold in the 1500 meters at both the 2016 Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Team GB: Great British Breakthroughs

Great Britain has also produced a number of outstanding Black gold winners. Daley Thompson, was the decathlon King for more than a minute, an Olympian in the most comprehensive sense. He won the title twice, 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, matched by only one other athlete in history, Ashton Eaton in 2012 and 2016.

Linford Christie became the third British athlete to win gold in the 100 meters at the Olympics, when he won at the 1992 Barcelona games. where he secured the gold medal, becoming a national hero.

Dame Kelly Holmes transformed from a national hero to an Olympic legend at the Athens 2004 Games. Having already secured gold in the 800m, she lined up for the 1500m final just days later.

And we could not talk about legends without mentioning Sir Mo Farah, CBE, the king of long-distance. Sir Mo Farah, has won four gold olympic medals winning the 5000m and 10,000m events at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.