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My Greatest Olympic Prize by Jesse Owens, Important questions and answers, Question 1. Write the character sketch of Luz Long., Answer : Luz Long was a German athlete who was there to compete, against Jesse Owens in the Board Jump event in 1936 Berlin, Olympics. Adolf Hitler hoped to win the jump with Luz and kept him, under wraps., Luz was a tall man and very friendly. Though he was schooled in the, Nazi youth movement, he didn’t believe much in Hitler’s Aryansupremacy theory. Rather he supported Jesse a big way in winning the, gold medals in the Berlin Olympics and became his life-long friend. Luz, Long was an embodiment of the sportsman spirit that the Olympics, demands. He was genuinely happy when Jesse won the gold medal, defeating him. He didn’t even mind shaking Jesse’s hand hard ignoring, the stare of Hitler from a few yards distance. Jesse Owens felt that, the 24-carat friendship he felt for Luz Long was his greatest Olympic, prize., Question 2. What was the Nazi's Aryan-superiority theory?, Answer : Adolf Hitler, the Chancellor of Germany and the leader of the, Nazi party was of the opinion that the Aryan race was superior in the, racial hierarchy. Germans and north European people belonged to this, class. So, they always expressed their hatred towards other races,, especially the black African Americans. According to the Nazi ideology, no man from other races could defeat the Aryans in any way, be it war,, sports or intellectual capacity., Question 3. How did luz long respond to Owens’ winning the gold?, What does it reflect about Luz’s character?, Answer : Luz Long was genuinely happy when Owens won the gold, medal in the board jump finals in Berlin Olympics 1936. He was the, first man to congratulate Jesse when he landed from his final jump.

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Luz shook Jesse’s hand hard with a smile, that the author felt, was not, the fake smile of a broken heart., , Luz Long’s action reveals the true friendship he felt for Jesse, in spite, of being his rival in the event. It’s all about his friendly nature and the, sportsman spirit in his character., Question 4. What is considered as the greatest Olympic prize by Jesse, Owens? Why?, Answer : In his autobiographical account “My Greatest Olympic Prize”,, Jesse Owens confesses that the German athlete Luz Long’s friendship, was the greatest Olympic prize to him., Though Jesse won four gold medals in the Berlin Olympics 1936, Luz, Long was the man who encouraged Jesse when he was undergoing, frustration and mental agony. Luz helped him qualify for the finals by, giving him valuable tips. They shared their thoughts and became good, friends. And what was most striking, Luz Long showed genuine, happiness when Jesse won the gold medal. Luz Long was an epitome, of the true sportsmanship and true friendship. That is why Jesse felt, that Luz’s friendship was the greatest Olympic prize he had won.