Such was the talent of Carl Lewis that he ranks as one of the finest runners who ever lived, despite the fact that running was not even his primary athletic talent.

Although he won four successive Olympic gold medals in the long jump, he also revolutionized sprinting worldwide, ushering in a new era in which sub 10 second 100 meter times and sub 20-second 200s became routine.

In addition to being the premier track athlete of his time, or perhaps because of it, Lewis was also thrust into the spotlight as a spokesman for the sport as well, a role he was often uneasy with and one that caused considerable controversy throughout his career. Often taking a hard and unpopular line, the outspoken Lewis undoubtedly turned track and field from an amateur into a strictly professional endeavor.

Lewis' controversial personality was not always easy to love; he was never embraced by Americans the way he was overseas and that grated upon him for years.
"He rubs it in too much," said Edwin Moses, two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 400 hurdles. "A little humility is in order. That's what Carl lacks." He was viewed by many as aloof and cold. But his record speaks for itself and it borders on the unbelievable.

Lewis grew up in Willingboro, New Jersey, in family. His mother -- then Evelyn Lawler -- made the 1951 Pan-Am team in the hurdles. Both his parents had been active with the Willingboro Track Club. Sister Carol won notoriety before he did, as the nation's preeminent high school long jumper. A sprinter at age seven, a long jumper at 13, Carl didn't become famous until his senior year in high school. Small for his age (his younger sister Carol called him "shorty") and shy, Lewis sprouted so suddenly at 15 (21/2 inches in a month) that he had to walk with crutches for three weeks while his body adjusted. As a high school senior, his 26-8 leap broke the national high school long-jump record.

When he went to the University of Houston, training under the tutelage of Tom Tellez, he said, "This may sound funny, but my goal is to be the best of all time." It took a while, but Lewis fulfilled that goal.

At the 1980 Olympic Trials, Lewis finished fourth in the 100, making the 4 x 100 squad, one that never competed in Moscow, due to the boycott. In 1973, Lewis had met his idol, Jesse Owens. In Los Angeles eleven years later, he emulated him as no one else could, capturing four gold medals, as Owens had done in Berlin 48 years earlier. First he won the 100 in 9.99, using an incredible finishing burst to overcome the strong start of teammate Sam Graddy. In the long jump, he went 28-0.25 to sew up the win on his first attempt. He fouled his next leap and passed on the rest, hoping to conserve effort for his remaining two events. The crowd booed him. "I was shocked at first," he said, "But after I thought about it I realized they were booing because they wanted to see more of Carl Lewis. I guess that's flattering." The booing reflected badly upon American fans, but some point to that incident as the beginning of Lewis' difficulty in capturing the popularity that many had thought would be inevitable.

Lewis appeared invincible in crushing the 200 field with his 19.80. He led an American sweep of the medals: "There's an added joy when you can share this feeling with your teammates." Finally, Lewis joined with Graddy, Ron Brown and Calvin Smith to win the 4 x 100 gold in a World record 37.83. It would be the only world record of the Games. "We wanted to give the home crowd a world record today", he said.

But the L.A. gold didn't turn into as much green as Lewis had expected. The endorsements he had counted upon didn't come (at least in the U.S.; he did much better in Europe and Japan). Lewis was hurt by his own attitude, as well as by his agent comparing him to Michael Jackson.
In 1988 in Seoul, Lewis attempted to repeat his four-gold performance, but events turned out as none would have predicted. He ran the fastest 100 of his life, 9.92, but was soundly thrashed by Canadian Ben Johnson's 9.79. It was shocking to those who felt Lewis invincible in the 100. "I ran the best I could, and I'm pleased with the race," said an obviously disappointed Lewis.

A few days later, Lewis found out from Tellez that Johnson had tested positive for the steroid stanozolol and been stripped of the 100 win. The gold would go to Lewis, though much of the glory had been robbed from it.

The next day, Lewis was beaten fair-and-square in the 200 final by training partner Joe DeLoach. Lewis ran 19.79, but DeLoach closed better to grab the gold in an Olympic record 19.75. "I hated to come between Carl and his dream", said DeLoach.

Lewis' hopes for a seventh career gold medal fizzled, and he wasn't even on the track to do anything about it. In the heats of the 4 x 100, a bad pass between Calvin Smith and relay alternate Lee McNeill resulted in a disqualification for the U.S. Lewis had planned to run only the final.

In 1992 and '96, Lewis continued his amazing string of long jump gold medals, but did not fare as well in the sprints, failing to make the 100 and 200 squads, competing against men far his junior, at an age when others would never have considered it even possible to compete at a world-class level.

At the 1996 Olympics, Lewis bowed out of his running career, typically, mired in controversy. Despite not having qualified, would he be chosen for the relay team, in order to give him a shot at a 10th Olympic gold? The relay controversy went full-tilt. In the midst of it all, Lewis performed like a champion, winning the long jump gold. He did not run in the relay in the end.

There will be other champions, but there will never again be another quite like Carl Lewis, a sprinter whose feats were unmatched during the 20th century.