Alabama Olympians

Alabama is well-known for its success in college football, but the state has produced many Olympic champions as well. In this arena, track and field and swimming and diving have been the sports in which Alabama athletes have dominated. Lawrence County's Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, is probably Alabama's best-known competitor, but several other competitors have gone on to worldwide fame, notably, Carl Lewis, Kirsty Coventry, and Rowdy Gaines.

Alice Coachman

Tuskegee Institute track star Alice Coachman (1923-2014) became the first black female athlete of any...

Auburn University Swimming and Diving

The Auburn University (AU) Swimming and Diving program competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC)...

Carl Lewis

Alabama native Carl Lewis (1961- ) is one of the most recognized track and field athletes in U.S. and...

Jennifer Chandler

Alabama native Jennifer Kay Chandler (1959- ) won the gold medal for springboard diving in the 1976 Montreal...

Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens (1913-1980) gained lasting fame as a track and field star in college and for his four gold...

Mel Rosen

Mel Rosen (1928-2018) came to Auburn University in the fall of 1955 as an assistant track coach. By the ...

Mia Hamm

Mia Hamm (1972- ) was perhaps the world's greatest female soccer player of her era, scoring more...

Otis Davis

Otis Crandall Davis (1932- ) won two gold medals in track and field in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome,...

Rowdy Gaines

Rowdy Gaines (1959- ) gained international fame while a student at Auburn University as one of the fastest...

Willie Davenport

Willie Davenport (1943-2002) was an Olympian who garnered international recognition between 1964 and...