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Jesse Owens
James Cleveland 'Jesse' Owens was born on September 12, 1913, in Oakville, Alabama, the son of sharecroppers and the grandson of slaves. When Jesse was nine years old, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, as part of the Great Migration, seeking better opportunities in the industrial North. It was in Cleveland where young Jesse's exceptional athletic talents were first recognized.
Full profile →Hicham El Guerrouj
Hicham El Guerrouj was born on September 14, 1974, in Berkane, a city in northeastern Morocco near the Mediterranean coast. Growing up in a large family with modest means, El Guerrouj discovered running as a teenager and quickly demonstrated extraordinary natural ability. He was inspired by fellow Moroccan Said Aouita, who had dominated middle-distance running in the 1980s, and dreamed of carrying on the proud tradition of Moroccan athletics on the world stage.
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