Frederick Carlton “Carl” Lewis competed in four consecutive Olympic Games, winning nine Olympic gold medals and one silver medal. He become the first African American athlete since
Jesse Owens to win four gold medals in Olympic competition. Lewis was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and is considered one of the greatest
track and field athletes of all time. Lewis’ parents both ran track, with his mother representing the United States at the 1951 Pan American Games as a hurdler. Lewis dominated the long jump during most of the 1980s and 1990s, winning his ninth gold medal at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996 when he was 35. Lewis retired from competition the year after, appearing on screen in films and television series. The International Olympic Committee named Lewis Sportsman of the Century in 1999 and Sports Illustrated named him Olympian of the Century. He engaged in various charity efforts and created the Carl Lewis Foundation in 2001 to promote education, wellness and fitness.
