On May 25, 1935, at a Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor, Jesse Owens produced one of the greatest single days in athletic history. Just days earlier he had fallen down a flight of stairs, injuring his tailbone so badly he could barely bend at the waist. Despite the pain, he tied the world record in the 100‑yard dash and set new world records in the long jump, the 220‑yard sprint, and the 220‑yard low hurdles — all within 45 minutes.