Jesse Owens International Trophy

The Jesse Owens International Trophy is an annual sports award that is given out by the International Athletic Association (IAA),[a] named after Olympic sprinter Jesse Owens. It has been awarded annually since 1981, with the exception of a ten-year break from 2004 to 2014.[1] In 2002 and 2003, it was briefly renamed "American-International Athlete Trophy" before it returned to its original name.[2]

The award was created and promoted by Herb Douglas, American long jumper and Olympic silver medalist in 1948. Douglas was inspired by Jesse Owens and founded the IAA.[3] After the pause due to Douglas' old age, former Penn Quakers football player Wesley E. Smith became chairman of the International Athletic Association and rebooted the award.[4]

There is a separate and unrelated annual track and field award called the Jesse Owens Award given out by USA Track & Field since 1981.

Criteria

The award is presented to "that amateur athlete who, in the opinion of an international blue-ribbon panel of sports experts, best personifies those qualities of that great Olympian after whom it is named. Those qualities are excellence in athletic accomplishment and performance, a high standard of sportsmanship, and a sincere commitment to cooperation among peoples of all nations".[5] In 2016, the winner was selected by polling the Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive (AIPS), an international organization of sports journalists.[6]

List of recipients

Michael Johnson won the award in 1996 and 1997.
YearWinnerNationalitySportR.
1981Eric Heiden United StatesLong-track speed skating[5]
1982Sebastian Coe Great BritainAthletics[5]
1983Mary Decker United StatesAthletics[5]
1984Edwin Moses United StatesAthletics[5]
1985Carl Lewis United StatesAthletics[7]
1986Said Aouita MoroccoAthletics[7]
1987Greg Louganis United StatesDiving[7]
1988Ben Johnson CanadaAthletics[7]
1989Florence Griffith-Joyner United StatesAthletics[7]
1990Roger Kingdom United StatesAthletics[3]
1991Greg LeMond United StatesRoad bicycle racing[3]
1992Mike Powell United StatesAthletics[3]
1993Vitaly Scherbo BelarusArtistic gymnastics[3]
1994Wang Junxia ChinaAthletics[3]
1995Johann Olav Koss NorwaySpeed skating[3]
1996Michael Johnson United StatesAthletics[3]
1997Michael Johnson United StatesAthletics[8]
1998Haile Gebrselassie EthiopiaAthletics[9]
1999Marion Jones United StatesAthletics[10]
2000Lance Armstrong United StatesRoad bicycle racing[11]
2001Marion Jones United StatesAthletics[12]
2002Ian Thorpe AustraliaSwimming[13]
2003Lance Armstrong United StatesRoad bicycle racing[14]
Not awarded from 2004 to 2013
2014Usain Bolt JamaicaAthletics[4]
2017Serena Williams[b] United StatesTennis[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Usain Bolt, Messi, Phelps, LeBron among finalists for Prestigious Jesse Owens International Award". TrackAlerts. January 28, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Jesse Owens' Olympic Gold Medal". Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Silent success: Douglas' Olympics prowess is Pittsburgh treasure". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 20, 1996. p. 14. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Usain Bolt Earns Jesse Owens International Athlete Trophy". RunnerSpace. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Moses' reputation further enhanced". Asbury Park Press. January 22, 1984. p. 39. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Jesse Owens Gala". Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Griffith Joyner dashes off with Jesse Owens Award". Camden, New Jersey: Courier-Post. February 22, 1989. p. 29. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Johnson, Nike strike deal: Six years, possible $12M". The Atlanta Constitution. February 4, 1997. p. 122. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Gebrselassie awarded the Jesse Owens International Trophy". World Athletics. January 29, 1998. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  10. ↑ "NORTH CAROLINA ATHLETE JONES AWARDED JESSE OWENS TROPHY". Greensboro News & Record. January 19, 1999. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Lance Armstrong wins Jesse Owens award". World Athletics. January 18, 2000. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  12. ↑ "PLUS: AWARDS; Jones Receives Jesse Owens Award". New York Times. January 25, 2001. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Swimmer Ian Thorpe Honored". Midland Daily News. February 26, 2002. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  14. ↑ "International Amateur Athletic Association to Honor Lance Armstrong as Winner Of 23rd Annual American-International Athlete Trophy". Gale Academic Onefile. January 16, 2003. Retrieved June 17, 2024.

Notes

  1. ↑ The IAA is often confused with the IAAF (now known as World Athletics), but the two organizations are distinct.
  2. ↑ The award winners were originally announced for an October 2016 gala, but it was later postponed to April 2017. A separate "Jesse Owens Award for Global Peace" was given to American boxer Muhummad Ali.[6]
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