OHSAA renames its Track and Field State Championships after the legendary Jesse Owens

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced that its annual track and field state championships in early June will be named after track and field legend and pioneer Jesse Owens. The OHSAA also unveiled the schedule and format for this year’s event with the expansion to five divisions.

The OHSAA Board of Directors unanimously accepted a proposal from OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute that, effective immediately, the event be renamed the OHSAA Jesse Owens Track and Field State Championships.

Besides recognizing the incomparable Owens, who demonstrated excellence, resilience, integrity and courage throughout his lifetime, the change is part of the ‘Jesse Owens Initiative’, “Beyond the Finish Line." Created by 'The Soul of Philanthropy Cleveland', the 'initiative' is an important element in a number of curated outcomes to resurrect the legacy of one of America’s greatest heroes, empower the next generation and unite people from all backgrounds to pursue their highest potential. Joined by The Ohio State University and The Jesse Owens Foundation, this change at this time aligns OHSAA with the work of The Ohio 250 Commission, dedicated to recognizing Ohio’s significant contributions in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Kevin Johnson, one of four founders of The Soul of Philanthropy Cleveland, said “the idea to rename the championships grew from a belief that Jesse Owens’ legacy should be permanently honored in Ohio; that Jesse Owens’ legacy should be visible, permanent and rooted in Ohio. We are very grateful to the OHSAA, along with our partners and supporters for embracing the idea, and we’re committed to honoring Jesse Owens not only as a global icon, but as a proud son of Cleveland whose story continues to inspire generations of Ohioans and beyond.”

This year, 2026, is the 90th anniversary of the historic 1936 Olympics, after which Jesse Owens was nicknamed “Superman” for his unprecedented accomplishments under intense scrutiny and at a time of significant global uncertainty.

“We are extremely excited to honor Jesse Owens in this way,” said Ute. “His name and accomplishments speak for themselves, and having their picture taken in front of his statue during the state championships is the goal of every track and field athlete in Ohio. Renaming the state tournament after Jesse Owens is a natural and will continue to lift up his legacy for everything he meant to Ohio and our country – on and off the track.”

The state tournament, which this year expands from three to five divisions, will be held over four days at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University June 4-7. The full schedule is posted here.

In January 2025, the OHSAA announced the expansion of the track and field postseason tournament from three divisions to five. The state tournament will begin Thursday afternoon with the first set of Division V field events and finishes Sunday afternoon with the Division II running finals.

Competing for Cleveland East Tech High School, Owens won nine OHSAA state track and field tournament events, including four as both a junior and senior in 1932 and 1933, and set seven state records. At the national interscholastic meet in Chicago during his senior year, he set a world record, tied a world record and set a national high school mark. Owens then enrolled at Ohio State, where he performed one of the greatest feats in athletic history at the Big Ten Championships held in Ann Arbor, Mich., on May 25, 1935. Uncertain that he would even participate after recently falling down a flight of steps, Owens set world records in the 220, 220 low hurdles and the long jump and tied the world mark in the 100, all in a span of about 45 minutes.

In 1936, Owens qualified for the Olympic Games that were held in Nazi Germany and became the first American track and field athlete to capture four gold medals in a single Olympiad, winning the 100, 200, long jump and 4x100 relay. While showcasing his excellence on a global stage, his victories provided a powerful rebuke to Adolf Hitler's racist ideology, cementing his status as a legendary figure who symbolizing perseverance and breaking barriers, with his achievements setting a standard for future generations of athletes. Owens died on March 31, 1980.