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The Wanda Diamond League has introduced a new initiative honoring Jesse Owens by recognizing young talent starting in 2024.
The Wanda Diamond League Final will witness the launch of a significant new initiative, starting from the 2024 season that pays homage to one of the greatest athletes in history, Jesse Owens.
In a move celebrating young talent and the indelible legacy of Owens, two young athletes will receive the newly established Jesse Owens Rising Star Award.
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This award, designed to recognize the best male and female athletes aged 23 or under, will make its debut at the Brussels event on September 13th-14th.
It represents a collaboration between the Owens family, the Jesse Owens Foundation, and the Wanda Diamond League. The initiative seeks to highlight and support young athletes who exhibit outstanding performances, mirroring the excellence Owens himself displayed during his career.
“The Owens family is proud to be represented at the first Jesse Owens Rising Star Awards. The awards are in keeping with the many ways Jesse Owens and his prodigies have viewed supporting young people and their aspirations with financial assistance and spiritual guidance. The Rising Star Awards are ‘right on’ in continuing our family’s goals and dreams for young people around the world,” stated the Owens family.
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The Jesse Owens Rising Star Award will use a points system to determine the winners. This system will compare performances across various disciplines to identify the most outstanding young athletes. Each winner will be honored with a bronze statuette of Jesse Owens, crafted by Belgian sculptor Jan Desmarets, symbolizing their achievement.
In addition to the statuettes, two oak trees will be planted at each Wanda Diamond League Final in the host city to honor the winners.
The planting of oak trees is a nod to the 1936 Olympics, where Owens and other champions received oak saplings. Owens’ own sapling was planted at his training site, where it stood for 85 years.
The significance of these trees extends beyond their symbolic link to the past.
“We are excited about this opportunity to honor both Jesse Owens and the upcoming young stars of our sport who excel at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels. Together with Owens’ family, we are delighted to uphold his legacy by awarding the Jesse Owens Rising Star Award to the best performing young female and male athletes,” said Petr Stastny, CEO of the Wanda Diamond League.
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The presence of Jesse Owens’ grandchildren at the awards ceremony in Brussels underscores the personal connection and continuity of his legacy.
The award and the planting of the trees serve as enduring symbols of his impact on the sport and on broader societal values.
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