1984: What Would Jesse Do?
Carl Lewis stepped onto the Olympics stage for the first time at the L.A. Games, and boy did he make an entrance. The 23-year-old track and fielder made no secret of his quest to equal the historic wins made by Jesse Owens in the 1936 Berlin Games. His efforts in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and long jump proved controversial — particularly his decision to make only two attempts on the long jump to preserve his body for two more events — but Lewis easily overtook his competitors and shot to the top of the podium in all four events. When asked about boos for his long jump performance, Lewis told reporters, ''I was shocked at first. But after I thought about it, I realized that they were booing because they wanted to see more of Carl Lewis. I guess that's flattering.'' And the world would see more of Carl Lewis. He went on to compete in three more Olympic Games, winning an astounding 10 lifetime Olympic medals (nine of which were gold).
Image Credit: (2) Tony Duffy/Getty Images
Olympics: 20 Unforgettable TV Moments
Some Olympians are winners whether or not they claim a medal; relive scenes of grit and perseverance -- and sometimes victory -- that had viewers on the edge of their seats
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