B D Narayankar reports
Bangalore, Apr 23 (PTI) Carl Lewis, the legendary
sprinter who won 10 Olympic medals and as many in the World
Championships, has been named as the event ambassador for the
TCS World 10K Bangalore run, which will be flagged off from
Kanteerava Stadium on May 18.
“It gives me great joy to come to India, a country I love
and respect, to spread the magic of running and sport amongst
the beautiful populace. In the last decade or so, India has
witnessed a running revolution and the sport has grown
manifold in terms of strength, popularity and interest
generated,” said Lewis.
The nine-time Olympic gold medallist added: “The TCS
World 10K is an ideal blend of speed and endurance and I’m
sure the run will attract many of the best in the world. It’s
an honour for me to be associated with the event and witness,
in action, these running enthusiasts. I hope my presence will
only inspire and encourage them to reach greater heights of
performance and success."
Leading up to the event, he will meet and interact with
the participants.
His Olympic gold came first in 1984 in the 100 metres. At
the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Lewis won gold in the
100-metre final and was credited with a world record. In the
1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Lewis jumped 8.67m in the first
round of the long jump. In the 4×100 m relay, Lewis anchored
another world record, in 37.40 seconds, a time, which stood
for 16 years. He covered the final leg in 8.85 seconds,
winning two gold medals at the event.
In 1996, Lewis qualified for the American Olympic team a
record fifth time in the long jump.. He won gold and became
one of only three Olympians to win the same individual event
four times.
His world record in the indoor long jump has remained
unbeaten since 1984 and a stunning 65 consecutive victories in
long jump, achieved over a span of 10 years, is one of the
sport’s longest undefeated streaks.
Since his retirement in 1996, he has devoted his time to
charity through the Carl Lewis Foundation.
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