On August 4, 1936, John “Long John” Woodruff won the Olympic gold medal in the 800-meter run at the Berlin Olympics. He was just 21 years old and a student at the University of Pittsburgh at the time.
Woodruff’s victory was remarkable because he had to slow down mid-race to escape being boxed in by other runners. Once he found an opening, he used his incredible stride and speed to surge ahead and win the race. His performance was a stunning display of tactical racing and raw athleticism.
His victory was also significant in the context of the 1936 Olympics, where Jesse Owens and other African American athletes disproved Nazi Germany’s racist ideologies by dominating the competition.
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