COLUMBUS — The legacy of Jesse Owens is hard to live to up to, but an Ohio State sprinter broke a school record held by Owens in the 100 meter race. The record remained unsurpassed for more than 80 years, according to a release from OSU.
Nick Gray broke the record with a time of 10.17 in a race at the Gamecock Invitational at the University of South Carolina this month.
Reflecting back on the race that he won a silver medal for, he said it was a struggle.
“I didn’t think it would be me that would break it, to be honest. I wanted to, but seeing all the greats that have come before me, I was like ‘I’m not going to get it,’” Gray said in a news release.
When he crossed the finish line, his time of 10.17 beat Owens’ school-record 10.2 in 1936.
“It was big. That’s something a lot of athletes have tried to do over the years and now it has finally been done. It’s big for him,” said Joel Brown, assistant track and field coach at Ohio State. “We knew when he came here, he had talent to do it. But you talk about Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals in the Olympics, to break his record, you know it’s a milestone.”
Gray is an eight-time Big Ten champion and a five-time track and field First Team All-American. When he graduates in a few weeks, Gray hopes to start dentistry school at Ohio State.
