Lewis, Carl

Impact on the world

Matched childhood idol Jesse Owens' 1936 feat of winning four gold medals in a single Olympics at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, sweeping the 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100m relay, and went on to win nine Olympic gold medals total across four Games, including four consecutive long jump titles.

Life & background

Having met Jesse Owens as a child and set a goal of matching his Olympic achievements, Lewis became the first person since 1886 to win the 100m, 200m, and long jump at the U.S. national championships in a single year in 1983. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he equaled Owens' 1936 feat of four gold medals in a single Games, sweeping the 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100m relay. He went on to win nine Olympic gold medals across four Olympic Games, including four consecutive long jump titles, one of track and field's most dominant runs in any single event.

Sources

1. myblackhistory.net (Edwin Moses: African American Olympic legend); Olympics.com (official IOC profile); Encyclopædia Britannica; Smithsonian NMAAHC