Waiting for IAAF World Championship here we remember Carl Lewis Profile
Country United States
Date of birth 01-Jul-1961
Era 1980s, 1990s
List of honours Olympic Gold: 100m 1984, 1988, 200m 1984, 4x100m 1984, 1992, Long Jump 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996; World Championship Gold: 100m 1983, 1987, 1991, 4x100m 1983, 1987, 1991, Long Jump 1983, 1987
Widely recognised as one of the greatest athletes of all-time, American Carl Lewis won a record nine Olympic gold medals between 1984 and 1996. Together with Paavo Nurmi, Mark Spitz and the gymnast Larissa Latynina, the sprinter/long jumper is one of only four Olympic athletes to have achieved this feat. After winning three titles at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki in 1983, Lewis set out to emulate his boyhood idol Jesse Owens by winning gold in the 100m, the 200m, the long jump and the 4x100m relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
The young athlete confirmed all the potential and promises his previous years had shown and became an instant immortal. A superstar was born, but ‘King Carl’ was not satisfied. He defended his long jump and the 100m title four years later in Seoul, although he was helped by Ben Johnson’s disqualification in the 100m. Also, Lewis won silver in the 200m.
At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Lewis added two more gold medals to his impressive tally by winning the long jump competition and the 4x100m relay. The 1996 Olympics in Atlanta were to be his last trick on the highest stage. Lewis was no longer a dominant sprinter, but he bowed out in glory after winning the long jump, becoming one of only three Olympians to win the same individual event four times.
At Olympics and World Championships Lewis amassed a total of 17 gold medals, two silver and one bronze. This illustrates that Lewis was good at one thing: winning. The only thing he never achieved was breaking Bob Beamon’s legendary long jump world record from 1968, a blemish on his career which Lewis can certainly live with.
Source: Infostrada
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