Carl Lewis
“Nine Olympic golds. Four long-jump titles. The pit was the occupation.”
Lewis emerged from a family of athletes in New Jersey and rose at the University of Houston. He became a global superstar at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, winning four gold medals to match Jesse Owens's 1936 feat. He went on to dominate sprinting and long jump across four Olympic Games.
Athletic Family
Born in Birmingham and raised in Willingboro, New Jersey, Lewis grew up in a track-and-field family. His parents were coaches and his sister Carol also became an Olympic long jumper.
Los Angeles 1984
Lewis announced himself to the world with four gold medals at the 1984 Olympics. The performance deliberately echoed Jesse Owens, whom Lewis idolized, in the 100m, 200m, long jump, and relay.
Sustained Dominance
Few athletes have stayed at the top as long as Lewis, who medaled across four Olympics from 1984 to 1996. His four straight long jump titles capped one of the greatest careers in track history.
Career Timeline
- 1961Born in Birmingham. Raised in Willingboro.
- 1984Los Angeles. Four golds, the Owens set.
- 1991Tokyo. 9.86. The 100 that looks like joy.
- 1996Atlanta. One jump. Fourth long-jump gold.
Biggest Hits
- Lewis was inherited the 1988 Olympic 100m gold after Ben Johnson tested positive for steroids.
- He was voted 'Sportsman of the Century' by the International Olympic Committee and 'Olympian of the Century' by Sports Illustrated.
Portrait: Andreas Ivarsson · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons