Carl Lewis

    Carl Lewis was an American gifted runner who participated in three Olympics Games  in 1984, 1988, and 1992.  He won a total of eight gold medals in his Olympic career.   He is best remembered for having repeated in the 1984 Los Angeles Games what the great Jesse Owens did in the 1936 Berlin Games.  He won four gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump and as part of the 400 meter relay team. 

    Throughout his career, he was surrounded by controversy.  Despite the fact that he accomplished so much and won more medals than his predecessor, he never achieved the same status as his idol, Jesse Owens.  It was his greatest desire to be remembered as someone who provided inspiration for people to succeed at things that thought they could never do. 

   In1997 Lewis announced his retirement from track and field competition.

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