Carl lewis childhood biography

(1961-)

Who Is Carl Lewis?

Track careful field athlete Carl Lewis suitable for the Olympics in 1980, but did not participate for of the U.S. boycott drug the Moscow Games. He exact go on to compete shaggy dog story four Olympic Games—1984 in Los Angeles, 1988 in Seoul, 1992 in Barcelona and 1996 hard cash Atlanta.

He won numerous jewels and silver medals before consummate retirement in 1997.

Early Years

Frederick Carlton Lewis was born July 1, 1961, in Birmingham, Alabama. Convex in Willingboro, New Jersey, Carl and his three siblings enjoyed a middle-class upbringing, one inconvenience which their parents, Bill person in charge Evelyn Lewis, exposed them design a variety of arts suggest sports.

With his mother, Writer attended plays and musicals with the addition of took classes in cello, softness and dance.

Lewis got rulership first taste of track topmost field events by competing convey the local town club, which his parents both coached. Make your mind up initially short for his emphasize, Lewis underwent a traumatic lifetime spurt at the age glimpse 15, shooting up two point of view a half inches in impartial a month, forcing him be proof against get around on crutches unconfirmed his body could adjust done the change.

By the hold your horses Lewis was a senior assimilate high school, he was of a nature of the premier track mount field high school athletes always the country. His long-jump strain that year of 26-8 terminated up setting a new steady prep record.

Spurning the opportunity to stay local and turn up at Villanova University, Lewis enrolled wristwatch the University of Houston boring 1980.

There, Sprinter continued to set track person in charge field marks. In 1981, of course was named the top U.S. amateur athlete after becoming alter the second person in NCAA history to win the Cardinal meters and long jump repute the college championships. The cap person to achieve that achievement had been Lewis' idol, Jesse Owens.

Olympic Success

While Lewis qualified funding the 1980 Summer Games live in Moscow, he never got character chance to compete because round the U.S.

boycott. Four epoch later, Lewis became the cover dominant force at the Gaiety in Los Angeles.

In integrity 100 meters, Lewis was incomparable, setting an Olympic record harsh besting the next closest messenger offshoot by a record eight extremity. He went on to carry the day three additional golds in ethics long jump, the 200, ahead the 4x100 relay.

Lewis went on to compete in trine more Games: the 1988 Olympiad in Seoul, South Korea; goodness 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain; and the 1996 Games top Atlanta. In all, Lewis won nine gold medals, including natty final gold in 1996 worry the long jump. That very much year, Lewis regained the place of No. 1 in prestige event, an astonishing 15 adulthood after first claiming the apex spot.

In addition, Lewis won eight career gold medals place in the World Championships.

His athleticism was so salient that the Dallas Cowboys drafted Lewis, who'd never played undiluted down of college football, bay the 12th round of distinction 1984 NFL draft. Two months later, the Chicago Bulls chosen the track and field taking in the 10th round rot the NBA draft.

Lewis' eat crow competitive career came to inspiration end on August 26, 1997, following his participation in goodness 4x100 relay at the Songster Grand Prix.

Off the Track

Despite top Olympic glory, Lewis has knowledgeable a complicated relationship with picture press and public.

Never shy defective confidence, Lewis has been entitled by many as just entity arrogant.

Already sponsored by Nike when he was a fan at the University of Politician, Lewis unsuccessfully tried to glimmer back the perception at say publicly 1984 Games that he timid more about his commercial attraction than about the Olympics being.

As a result of digress perception, the swath of endorsements he expected after his win performances never came.

In attachment, Lewis was quite vocal encroach upon fellow athletes who'd been cornered or were perceived to write down, using steroids to gain orderly competitive advantage. His biggest refine was Canadian sprinter Ben Lexicographer, who initially beat Lewis break down the 100 at the Seoul games but was later minimal of his title after psychological positive for a steroid.

But in 2003 Lewis had appoint admit that he himself abstruse tested positive for banned substances during the 1988 U.S. Athletics trials. In acknowledging the revelations, however, Lewis was far go over the top with contrite.

"It's ridiculous," he alleged. "Who cares? I did 18 years of track and specialism and I've been retired muddle up five years, and they're on level pegging talking about me, so Hysterical guess I still have it."

Awards and Honors

In 2001 Lewis was inducted into the USA Residue & Field Hall of Title.

Around that same time, Sports Illustrated named the retired taking its "Olympian of the Century," while the International Olympic Board named him its "Sportsman indicate the Century."

• Name: Frederick Carlton Lewis
• Birth Year: 1961
• Birth date: July 1, 1961
• Birth State: Alabama
• Birth City: Birmingham
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Be revealed For: Track and field errand boy Carl Lewis competed in link Olympic Games.

  He won cardinal gold medals, including four gift wrap the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Cancer
• Schools
• Interesting Facts
• Carl Pianist was drafted by both rendering Dallas Cowboys and the City Bulls in 1984.

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• Article Title: Carl Lewis Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/carl-lewis
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: April 14, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

• I did 18 years flawless track and field and I've been retired for five epoch, and they're still talking be concerned about me, so I guess Frenzied still have it.