He ran the 100 meters in world competitions fifteen times in 10 seconds and did not find a long jump winner in four consecutive Olympics. Because of his eccentric lifestyle and celebration that started before he reached the finish line, he still couldn’t steal himself into the hearts of Americans for long. The surprised expression on his face at the 1988 Seoul Olympics is not forgotten when Ben Johnson beat him in the 100m final, however two days later he took the gold after it was revealed that his Canadian opponent had been doping. Carl Lewis, now 60 – after a turn in film career – is now promoting jogging all over the world.
He finished the 100m cross-country race at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics final. Ben Johnson still held his right arm high victorious here, but three days later, after Johnson’s positive doping test, he was taken away and the gold medal awarded to Carl Lewis, who finished second ( 3rd place in the middle) (Source: Twitter / USOCC)
Like Jesse Owens, who won four athletic gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he was born in Alabama under the name Frederick Carlton Lewis. He attended Wangborough High School and then the University of Houston. He excelled in high school with dynamic running and excellent long jump technique, so – to the encouragement of his teachers – he became a teenage athlete.
Carl Lewis was interested in something else after graduation: a career as a film actor. At the age of 20, when he won the U.S. Athletics Championships in a row, he would have had the opportunity to appear in several television series filmed around Los Angeles, but he said no to scenarios in front of his agent, Joe Douglas. He also declined to play Jesse Owens in a TV movie that won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics in the eyes of Adolf Hitler, the creator of racing theory, at the same four events where Louis also set out to compete in Los Angeles. “I’m willing to wait for the cash register to ring properly” – Tell.
“If I play a TV series, I want to be the protagonist”
Then Carl Lewis announced.
He acted with similar confidence in business. After being named Athlete of the Year in 1982, 1983 and 1984 by US track and field sports magazine Track & Field, Lewis felt the value of her advertising was increasing month by month. So he rejected Coca-Cola’s offer in 1983 because he believed he would be able to negotiate more favorable terms after the Los Angeles Olympics.
“When Karl finally has time to deal with contracts after the Olympics, he will be just as valuable as Michael Jackson.”
Then his agent said.
So Lewis just had to focus on getting results on the runway. He imagined that people would want it more and more as the number of gold medals increased – but he was wrong. In fact, he was not liked by more fans. He had to realize that some would never like him, no matter how large the collection of gold medals he had amassed.
He has set several world records in the 100m as well as in the 4x100m and 4x200m relays. He has held the world record in the indoor long jump since 1984, and after 65 consecutive victories, he can claim one of the longest unbeaten streaks in the sport. During his career, he completed the 100-meter run fifteen times in 10 seconds, and the 200-meter run in ten instances in 20 seconds.
In 1999, the International Olympic Committee named him “athlete of the century”.[5] Named the Olympics of the Century by American Sports Illustrated.
Carl Lewis, now 60 – after a turn in film career – is now promoting jogging around the world.
