Starting with a long and lyrical overture, evoking the origins of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, Riefenstahl covers twenty-one athletic events in the first half of this two-part love letter to the human body and spirit, culminating with the marathon, where Jesse Owens became the first track and field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympics.

David Albritton
as Self - High Jump, USA (uncredited)

Arvo Askola
as Self - 10000 Metres, Finland (uncredited)

Jack Beresford
as Self - Carries British Flag (uncredited)

Erwin Blask
as Self - Hammer Throw, Germany (uncredited)

Sulo Bärlund
as Self - Shot Put, Finland (uncredited)

Ibolya Csák
as Self - High Jump, Hungary (uncredited)

Glenn Cunningham
as Self (uncredited)

Henri de Baillet-Latour
as Self - IOC, Stands with Hitler, with Hurdlers (uncredited)

Philip Edwards
as Self - 800 Metres, Canada (uncredited)

Donald Finlay
as Self - 110m Hurdles, Great Britain (uncredited)