When Jesse Owens collected his fourth gold medal of the 1936 Olympics as a member of the United States 4x100m relay team – his 12th event, including heats, in the space of seven days – he completed a unique sequence of achievement that still stands as an incomparable indicator of sporting excellence. The 22-year-old son of Alabama sharecroppers and grandson of slaves, Owens was competing in the most intimidating environment imaginable. The scene of his triumphs was Berlin, where the racist ideology of the Nazi regime was building towards its full, awful intensity - and where the great instigator himself, Adolf Hitler, was a regular spectator in the stands of the Olympic stadium.

Nazi propaganda was already portraying negroes as “black auxiliaries”. And, as Albert Speer, Germany's war armaments minister, recalled in his memoirs, Inside The Third Reich, Hitler was “highly annoyed” by Owens's series of victories. Speer added: “People whose antecedents came from the jungle were primitive, Hitler said with a shrug; their physiques were stronger than those of civilised whites and hence should be excluded from future Games.”

To maintain a peak of achievement over a whole week in such an ugly moral environment was a mark of Owens's courage and determination.

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He won the 100m and 200m with relative ease, despite some high-class opposition. The margins of his victories did not diminish their sporting and cultural significance. His final track gold – he helped set a sprint relay world record that would stand for 20 years – was slightly marred by a selection controversy which was a reminder of the ugly themes that were never wholly absent from the background of the Berlin Games. Two Jewish athletes, Sam Stoller and Marty Glickman, were dropped from the US relay team on the morning of the first heats, and Glickman for one was convinced that the US Olympic Committee president, Avery Brundage, had adjusted the team in order to avoid exacerbating the Führer's sensibilities. It was one unedifying episode which diminished the lustre of Owens's final Olympic flourish. Yet part of the glory of his Olympic achievement was the fact that, as relentlessly as the racists of various nations tried to poison the proceedings with their messages of hate, his own personal story continued to demonstrate the other side of the Olympic ideal: not the jingoistic one, but the ideal of sport as a force that can bring the human family together. Which brings us, belatedly, to Owens's second medal.

On 4 August, the day before his 200m victory, Owens had already received something he subsequently claimed he prized above anything that found its way round his neck during those seven days of glory: the comradeship of “Luz” Long.

At first glance, the German long jumper - tall, blue-eyed and blond - was the personification of the Aryan ideal of Nazi ideology. And although Owens arrived for long jump qualifying on the morning of 4 August as world record holder, he was soon put on his guard by the sight of Long taking prodigious leaps in practice. On the face of it, here was an ideal opportunity for the Nazis to see their theories of racial supremacy put into practice.

The qualifying distance was 7.15m, hardly a stretch for the man who had jumped 8.13m. But, having won his early morning 200m qualifying round in an Olympic record of 21.1sec, Owens failed to see the judges raising their flags to indicate the start of competition. Still in his tracksuit, he took a practice run down the approach and into the pit, only to see officials indicating that this had counted as the first of his three efforts.

Discomfited, he fouled on his next attempt. This left him with only one remaining jump to ensure that he reached the final later in the day.

At this point, according to Owens, the embodiment of the Aryan ideal sauntered up to him and introduced himself in English. David Wallechinsky, in his standard work, The Complete Book of the Olympics, reports the subsequent conversation thus. “Glad to meet you,” said Owens tentatively. “How are you?” “I'm fine,” replied Long. “The question is, how are you?”

“What do you mean?” asked Owen.

Shape Created with Sketch. Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Show all 74 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures 1/74 Day Eight Andy Murray celebrates his victory over Kai Nishikori to reach the men's Olympic final. Getty 2/74 Day Eight Jessica Ennis-Hill continues her bid for gold in heptathlon. Getty 3/74 Day Eight Usain Bolt breezed through his 100m heat. Getty 4/74 Day Eight Team GB took silver in the women's eight. Getty 5/74 Day Eight The men's eight gold took Great Britain top of the rowing medal table. Getty 6/74 Day Seven Britain's Jazz Carlin secured her second silver of the Games in the women's 800m freestyle, as American Katie Ledecky surged to her fourth Rio gold. Getty 7/74 Day Seven Singapore's Joseph Schooling won his nation's first gold medal with victory in the 100m butterfly as Michael Phelps was denied a 23rd Olympic title. Getty 8/74 Day Seven Sir Bradley Wiggins becomes Britain's greatest Olympian ever as Team GB win gold in the men's Team Pursuit at the Velodrome. AFP 9/74 Day Seven Bryony Page on her way to a silver in gymnastics trampoline. EPA 10/74 Day Seven Heather Stanning and Helen Glover win gold in the women's rowing pairs. Getty 11/74 Day Seven Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Constantine Louloudis celebrate their success in the men’s coxless four. Getty 12/74 Day Seven Defending champions Great Britain won silver in the Olympic team dressage, as world champions Germany claimed gold. The British quartet - Spencer Wilton, Fiona Bigwood, Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin - were beaten into second by 3.334 points. Getty 13/74 Day Six American Simone Manuel became the first black female swimmer to win an Olympic title as she shared the women's 100m freestyle gold with Canada's Penny Oleksiak, 16, after a dead heat. Getty Images 14/74 Day Six Swimming legend Michael Phelps demolished the field in the 200m individual medley to claim his 22nd Olympic gold. Getty 15/74 Day Six Simone Biles takes gold in the Women’s individual all-around artistic gymnastics. Getty 16/74 Day Six Fiji's Vatemo Ravouvou breaks through to score during the Men's Rugby Sevens Gold medal final match against Great Britain. Team GB settled for silver as Fiji romped to gold. David Rogers/Getty Images 17/74 Day Six Callum Skinner, Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes of Great Britain celebrate after winning gold in the men's team sprint. AFP 18/74 Day Six Double act David Florence and Richard Hounslow won their second joint Olympic silver in the canoeing slalom. Getty 19/74 Day Six Victoria Thornley and Katherine Grainger show off their silver medals after the women's double sculls final Getty 20/74 Day Five Max Whitlock poses with his bronze medal Getty 21/74 Day Five Joe Clarke reacts to winning Britain's second gold of thee Games Reuters 22/74 Day Five Jack Laugher and Chris Mears celebrate with their gold medals Getty 23/74 Day Four David Florence suffered heartbreak in the canoe single C1 men's semi-final Getty 24/74 Day Four Andy Murray celebrates his straight sets victory against Juan Monaco Getty 25/74 Day Three Lilly King shows off her gold medal as Yulia Efimova parades her silver AFP 26/74 Day Three Russia's Yulia Efimova (left) looks on as the US's Lilly King (right) celebrates winning the Women's 100m Breaststroke Final earlier this morning Getty 27/74 Day Three Lilly King celebrates after beating her Russian rival Yulia Efimova Getty 28/74 Day Three Michael Phelps takes on Chad Le Clos in the men's 200m butterfly final Getty 29/74 Day Three Michael Phelps says it 'breaks my heart' to see drug cheats at the Olympics Getty 30/74 Day Three James Guy missed out on bronze on Monday night Getty 31/74 Day Three Louis Smith reacts to his pommel stumble which may have cost Team GB a medal Getty 32/74 Day Three Dan Goodfellow (right) and Tom Daley celebrate with their bronze medals Getty 33/74 Day Three Tom Daley and Dan Goodfellow dive into the pool in delight after winning bronze Getty 34/74 Day Three Tom Daley (left) and Daniel Goodfellow performing in the men's synchronised 10m platform final PA 35/74 Day Three Canada celebrate their victory against Team GB on day three Getty 36/74 Day Three Heather Watson leaves the court yesterday after losing her second round match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine Reuters 37/74 Day Two Carlin proudly shows off her silver medal Getty 38/74 Day Two Carlin reacts after learning that she has won the silver medal Getty 39/74 Day Two Peaty shows off his gold medal with pride Getty 40/74 Day Two Adam Peaty celebrates his gold Getty 41/74 Day Two Andy Murray and Jamie Murray were knocked out of the men's doubles by Thomaz Bellucci and Andre Sa AFP 42/74 Day Two Venus and Serena Williams suffered their first ever Olympic defeat playing together Getty 43/74 Day Two Richard Kruse battling the Russian Timur Safin GETTY 44/74 Day Two Lizzie Armitstead finished fifth in the women's road race PA 45/74 Day Two Anna van der Breggen celebrates winning gold in the women's road race Reuters 46/74 Day Two Annemiek van Vleuten suffered a horrific accident in the women's road race Reuters 47/74 Day Two The women's road race passes along the beach in Rio de Janeiro Getty 48/74 Day Two Andy Murray beat Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-2 to win his men's singles first round match Getty 49/74 Day Two Serena Williams is through to the second round of the women's singles after defeating Daria Gavrilova Getty 50/74 Day Two Gold medal winner, Hoang Xuan Vinh of Vietnam, center, silver medal winner, Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil, left, and bronze medalist Pang Wei of China, at the victory ceremony for the men's 10-meter air pistol event AP 51/74 Day Two Rowing was cancelled on day two over fears of sinking and capsizing due to strong winds Getty 52/74 Day One Yusra Mardini has won her heat of the Women's 100m Butterfly but she will not be able to go forward to the semi-final Getty Images 53/74 Day One Britain's James Guy chops through the water Getty 54/74 Day One Kantinka Hosszu of Hungary set a new world record in winning gold in the Women's 100m Individual Medley final Getty 55/74 Day One Samir Ait Said receiving medical help after suffering a badly broken leg Getty 56/74 Day One Yusra Mardini leads the race in the 100m Butterfly heat at Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio EPA 57/74 Day One Natasha Hunt scored two tries to inspire Britain to victory against Brazil Getty 58/74 Day One Joanne Watmore scored Britain's first try in Olympic rugby sevens history Getty 59/74 Day One Adam Peaty celebrates after breaking the 100m breaststroke world record Getty 60/74 Day One Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the 100m breaststroke heats and is favourite to win gold on Sunday Getty 61/74 Day One Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the 100m breaststroke heats Getty 62/74 Day One Chris Froome speaks with a bruised Geraint Thomas after the men's road race PA 63/74 Day One Greg van Avermaet celebrates winning gold in the men's road race Getty 64/74 Day One Rafal Majka was caught with just two kilometres to go Getty 65/74 Day One Greg van Avermaet won a sprint finish to clinch Olympic road race gold EPA 66/74 Day One A bullet is marked by Brazilian police in the equestrian media centre Getty 67/74 Day One The peloton make their way along the beach during the road race Getty 68/74 Day One Chris Froome leads away the men's road race along with the rest of Team GB Getty 69/74 Day One The field make their way along the opening stages of the road race Eric Gaillard/Reuters 70/74 Day One Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand had no trouble in qualifying for the men's single skulls quarter-finals Getty 71/74 Day One Rowers warm up under the watchful gaze of the Christ the Redeemer statue Getty 72/74 Opening Ceremony A huge fireworks display signals the end of the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony. Felipe Dana/AP 73/74 Opening Ceremony Andy Murray leads out Team GB at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony Getty 74/74 Opening Ceremony Gisele Bundchen turns the stage into a catwalk during the opening ceremony AP 1/74 Day Eight Andy Murray celebrates his victory over Kai Nishikori to reach the men's Olympic final. Getty 2/74 Day Eight Jessica Ennis-Hill continues her bid for gold in heptathlon. Getty 3/74 Day Eight Usain Bolt breezed through his 100m heat. Getty 4/74 Day Eight Team GB took silver in the women's eight. Getty 5/74 Day Eight The men's eight gold took Great Britain top of the rowing medal table. Getty 6/74 Day Seven Britain's Jazz Carlin secured her second silver of the Games in the women's 800m freestyle, as American Katie Ledecky surged to her fourth Rio gold. Getty 7/74 Day Seven Singapore's Joseph Schooling won his nation's first gold medal with victory in the 100m butterfly as Michael Phelps was denied a 23rd Olympic title. Getty 8/74 Day Seven Sir Bradley Wiggins becomes Britain's greatest Olympian ever as Team GB win gold in the men's Team Pursuit at the Velodrome. AFP 9/74 Day Seven Bryony Page on her way to a silver in gymnastics trampoline. EPA 10/74 Day Seven Heather Stanning and Helen Glover win gold in the women's rowing pairs. Getty 11/74 Day Seven Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Constantine Louloudis celebrate their success in the men’s coxless four. Getty 12/74 Day Seven Defending champions Great Britain won silver in the Olympic team dressage, as world champions Germany claimed gold. The British quartet - Spencer Wilton, Fiona Bigwood, Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin - were beaten into second by 3.334 points. Getty 13/74 Day Six American Simone Manuel became the first black female swimmer to win an Olympic title as she shared the women's 100m freestyle gold with Canada's Penny Oleksiak, 16, after a dead heat. Getty Images 14/74 Day Six Swimming legend Michael Phelps demolished the field in the 200m individual medley to claim his 22nd Olympic gold. Getty 15/74 Day Six Simone Biles takes gold in the Women’s individual all-around artistic gymnastics. Getty 16/74 Day Six Fiji's Vatemo Ravouvou breaks through to score during the Men's Rugby Sevens Gold medal final match against Great Britain. Team GB settled for silver as Fiji romped to gold. David Rogers/Getty Images 17/74 Day Six Callum Skinner, Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes of Great Britain celebrate after winning gold in the men's team sprint. AFP 18/74 Day Six Double act David Florence and Richard Hounslow won their second joint Olympic silver in the canoeing slalom. Getty 19/74 Day Six Victoria Thornley and Katherine Grainger show off their silver medals after the women's double sculls final Getty 20/74 Day Five Max Whitlock poses with his bronze medal Getty 21/74 Day Five Joe Clarke reacts to winning Britain's second gold of thee Games Reuters 22/74 Day Five Jack Laugher and Chris Mears celebrate with their gold medals Getty 23/74 Day Four David Florence suffered heartbreak in the canoe single C1 men's semi-final Getty 24/74 Day Four Andy Murray celebrates his straight sets victory against Juan Monaco Getty 25/74 Day Three Lilly King shows off her gold medal as Yulia Efimova parades her silver AFP 26/74 Day Three Russia's Yulia Efimova (left) looks on as the US's Lilly King (right) celebrates winning the Women's 100m Breaststroke Final earlier this morning Getty 27/74 Day Three Lilly King celebrates after beating her Russian rival Yulia Efimova Getty 28/74 Day Three Michael Phelps takes on Chad Le Clos in the men's 200m butterfly final Getty 29/74 Day Three Michael Phelps says it 'breaks my heart' to see drug cheats at the Olympics Getty 30/74 Day Three James Guy missed out on bronze on Monday night Getty 31/74 Day Three Louis Smith reacts to his pommel stumble which may have cost Team GB a medal Getty 32/74 Day Three Dan Goodfellow (right) and Tom Daley celebrate with their bronze medals Getty 33/74 Day Three Tom Daley and Dan Goodfellow dive into the pool in delight after winning bronze Getty 34/74 Day Three Tom Daley (left) and Daniel Goodfellow performing in the men's synchronised 10m platform final PA 35/74 Day Three Canada celebrate their victory against Team GB on day three Getty 36/74 Day Three Heather Watson leaves the court yesterday after losing her second round match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine Reuters 37/74 Day Two Carlin proudly shows off her silver medal Getty 38/74 Day Two Carlin reacts after learning that she has won the silver medal Getty 39/74 Day Two Peaty shows off his gold medal with pride Getty 40/74 Day Two Adam Peaty celebrates his gold Getty 41/74 Day Two Andy Murray and Jamie Murray were knocked out of the men's doubles by Thomaz Bellucci and Andre Sa AFP 42/74 Day Two Venus and Serena Williams suffered their first ever Olympic defeat playing together Getty 43/74 Day Two Richard Kruse battling the Russian Timur Safin GETTY 44/74 Day Two Lizzie Armitstead finished fifth in the women's road race PA 45/74 Day Two Anna van der Breggen celebrates winning gold in the women's road race Reuters 46/74 Day Two Annemiek van Vleuten suffered a horrific accident in the women's road race Reuters 47/74 Day Two The women's road race passes along the beach in Rio de Janeiro Getty 48/74 Day Two Andy Murray beat Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-2 to win his men's singles first round match Getty 49/74 Day Two Serena Williams is through to the second round of the women's singles after defeating Daria Gavrilova Getty 50/74 Day Two Gold medal winner, Hoang Xuan Vinh of Vietnam, center, silver medal winner, Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil, left, and bronze medalist Pang Wei of China, at the victory ceremony for the men's 10-meter air pistol event AP 51/74 Day Two Rowing was cancelled on day two over fears of sinking and capsizing due to strong winds Getty 52/74 Day One Yusra Mardini has won her heat of the Women's 100m Butterfly but she will not be able to go forward to the semi-final Getty Images 53/74 Day One Britain's James Guy chops through the water Getty 54/74 Day One Kantinka Hosszu of Hungary set a new world record in winning gold in the Women's 100m Individual Medley final Getty 55/74 Day One Samir Ait Said receiving medical help after suffering a badly broken leg Getty 56/74 Day One Yusra Mardini leads the race in the 100m Butterfly heat at Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio EPA 57/74 Day One Natasha Hunt scored two tries to inspire Britain to victory against Brazil Getty 58/74 Day One Joanne Watmore scored Britain's first try in Olympic rugby sevens history Getty 59/74 Day One Adam Peaty celebrates after breaking the 100m breaststroke world record Getty 60/74 Day One Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the 100m breaststroke heats and is favourite to win gold on Sunday Getty 61/74 Day One Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the 100m breaststroke heats Getty 62/74 Day One Chris Froome speaks with a bruised Geraint Thomas after the men's road race PA 63/74 Day One Greg van Avermaet celebrates winning gold in the men's road race Getty 64/74 Day One Rafal Majka was caught with just two kilometres to go Getty 65/74 Day One Greg van Avermaet won a sprint finish to clinch Olympic road race gold EPA 66/74 Day One A bullet is marked by Brazilian police in the equestrian media centre Getty 67/74 Day One The peloton make their way along the beach during the road race Getty 68/74 Day One Chris Froome leads away the men's road race along with the rest of Team GB Getty 69/74 Day One The field make their way along the opening stages of the road race Eric Gaillard/Reuters 70/74 Day One Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand had no trouble in qualifying for the men's single skulls quarter-finals Getty 71/74 Day One Rowers warm up under the watchful gaze of the Christ the Redeemer statue Getty 72/74 Opening Ceremony A huge fireworks display signals the end of the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony. Felipe Dana/AP 73/74 Opening Ceremony Andy Murray leads out Team GB at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony Getty 74/74 Opening Ceremony Gisele Bundchen turns the stage into a catwalk during the opening ceremony AP

“Something must be eating you,” said Long, proud to display his knowledge of American slang. “You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed.”

Then, apparently, Long suggested that, as the qualifying distance was only 7.15m, Owens should shift his mark back to ensure that he took off well short of the board and remained clear of any possibility of fouling again.

Owens complied, retracting the initial marker for his run-up by a foot and a half before taking off uninhibitedly to qualify with just half a centimetre to spare.

When the final was held later that afternoon, Owens took a first round lead with 7.74m. In the second round, generating a deep roar of approval within the Olympic stadium, Long matched that mark, only for the American to respond with 7.87m. But on his fifth and penultimate attempt, the German created general uproar, and jubilation in an official tribune that contained not just Hitler but Goebbels, Goering, Hess and Himmler, by matching Owens again.

As Owens prepared to respond, it was his German opponent who raised both arms in the air as if to still the ferment, casting what Parienté described as a “furtive” glance towards his nation's unruly rulers.

Now Owens embraced his opportunity, fluent on the runway, his feet pattering lightly before a take-off that re-established his superiority as he landed at 7.94m. With his sixth and final attempt, Long could not improve on his best. Hitler immediately rose and left the stadium - missing the American's concluding effort: 8.06m.

“That business with Hitler didn't bother me,” Owens later wrote. “I didn't go there to shake hands. What I remember most was the friendship I struck up with Luz Long. He was my strongest rival, yet it was he who advised me to adjust my run-up in the qualifying round and thereby helped me to win.

Recent scholarship has suggested that Owens may, over the years, have exaggerated the significance of Long’s intervention in the long jump. Yet there can be no doubt about the warmth of the two men’s friendship. “We corresponded regularly until Hitler invaded Poland,” wrote Owens, “and then the letters stopped. I learnt later that Luz was killed in the war, but afterwards I started corresponding with his son and in this way our friendship was preserved.”

Long perished in a British military hospital after receiving fatal wounds during the Battle of St Pietro in 1943. Owens, who took up smoking after his athletics career ended, died of lung cancer on 31 March 1980.

Owens's haul of medals was eventually matched, in scope at least, by Carl Lewis, in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. What gives Owens's achievement a far deeper resonance is the context: he gave the lie to Nazi ideology in its very cradle, under the gaze of its creator.

Owens's long jump victory is well documented in Olympia, the film made by German director Leni Riefenstahl, which was intended to offer enduring proof of Aryan superiority. Meanwhile, as a symbol of hope - of sport as a celebration of our common humanity - his relationship within that event with the man who finished as silver medallist could hardly be bettered.

The tall, doomed German was the first to congratulate Owens in his moment of victory.

“You can melt down all the medals and cups I have,” Owens wrote later. “And they wouldn't be a plating on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment.”

A longer version of this article was published in ‘The Independent’ on 11 July 2009