Carl Lewis Keeps Youth on Track

September 28, 2006

Steve Galluzzo , Sports Editor

It's been 10 years since Carl Lewis last stood on the victory platform at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta with a gold medal around his neck. He moved to Pacific Palisades six years ago and since his retirement from track and field, he has found numerous ways to keep busy. He has acted in movies (most recently "Material Girls," in which he plays a newspaper reporter), written an autobiography and even created a website that "talks" to you. Now 45, he remains as outspoken today as he was at the height of his career.

Lewis participated in four Olympiads and won nine gold medals, including four at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. He won the 100 meters twice, the 200 meters once, the 4 x 100 Relay twice and the long jump four times. He was voted "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee and named "Olympian of the Century" by Sports Illustrated. He was also instrumental in transforming his sport from amateur to professional status, paving the way for today's athletes to earn more money and endorsements than ever before.

Aside from his unparalleled accomplishments in track and field, what Lewis is most proud of is the Carl Lewis Foundation, a nonprofit organization he founded in 2001 in an effort to help inner city and abused and neglected youth feel good about themselves through fitness and educational programs. On Saturday, October 14, his Foundation is sponsoring the Carl Lewis Family Fitness 5K Run/Walk at The Home Depot Center in Carson. Palisadian-Post Sports Editor Steve Galluzzo caught up to Lewis recently to talk about his Foundation, his career and his life in the Palisades...

PP: What was your motivation for starting the Carl Lewis Foundation?

CL: I've always enjoyed being active in the community. I used to live in Houston and I was involved in Best Buddies and the Special Olympics there. I have a sincere desire to help kids because my mom and dad were teachers. It is so important for our young people to have good self-esteem. That is what builds a solid foundation for life.

PP: Where will the proceeds from the Carl Lewis 5K Run/Walk go?

CL: The whole event is benefiting the American Diabetes Association. So many people, my own family included, have either been afflicted with it themselves or know someone who has and it is important to raise the awareness. Anyone can participate in the 5K and we're handing out awards for the top three finishers in each age division.

PP: When did you realize it was time to call it a career?

CL: After I won that last medal. I remember stepping off the podium and I felt total closure. I knew right there that I was done. Since then, I can honestly say I haven't had any desire to compete. In fact, what I miss more than anything else is working out with my teammates.

PP: What was your favorite event?

CL: The long jump, without a doubt. The reason is that there are so many variables that come into play. I think the reason I was so successful is that I was consistent. In my last two Olympics I started my jump 8-10 inches behind the board just to be safe but I made up for it because I didn't have to decelerate. You have to be technically sound to succeed.

PP: More and more athletes are testing positive for steroids. What needs to be done to clean up not just track and field, but all sports?

CL: There are three things that need to happen. First and foremost, athletes need to speak up about it. Otherwise, they may as well stop testing. Secondly, every athlete who tests positive needs to be investigated thoroughly. Thirdly, the federations that conduct the tests and institute the laws need to be held accountable. But it needs to start with the athletes themselves.

PP: Why are athletes willing to jeopardize their health and risk being caught?

CL: Sports is about competition. Everyone wants to be the best at what they do. Athletes today are being paid so much money, too, and that is a factor. It comes down to how hard you work. You don't have to cheat. You don't have to take steroids. Nothing in the world would get me to try any of that.

PP: What are some telltale signs that athletes might be using steroids?

CL: Obviously, there are physical signs. For instance, I weigh 190 pounds now and I stayed between 175-185 pounds my entire career. The whole time I was training, my weight never fluctuated that much. You can also look at an individual's age and performance. In track, for instance, if an athlete is running record times every meet that looks suspicious because the human body typically needs time to recover after a peak performance.

PP: Flashing back to your first Olympics in 1984, when did you start to believe you could actually win four gold medals?

CL: After finishing the Olympic Trials, I said to myself 'I can do this.' The reason is that by that point you pretty much know the competition. My mindset was this: 'I've beaten these guys before, why can't I do it again?' Of course it's easier said than done, but that's the way you have to approach it.

PP: Which of the four Olympics you competed in was the most difficult and why?

CL: Seoul [South Korea] in 1988 was the hardest by far. The media pressure was intense because of my rivalry with Ben Johnson and because I brought the whole drug issue out in the open. I was only saying what everybody else knew but didn't have the guts to say.

PP: In the sprints, what lane would you pick to run in?

CL: I actually preferred Lane Seven because it's on the outside, the turn is less severe and I could concentrate better on running my own race. When you're in the middle, you tend to get distracted by the guys around you. I never cared about being able to see anyone else. I was too locked in on what I was doing.

PP: What made winning the 4 x 100 Relay in Barcelona so gratifying?

CL: Even though I was sick during the Trials I still felt like I was the fastest man in the world. That was the only time I ever had the mindset that I really wanted to prove myself. Another reason that race was so special is that we set the world record on a day when I didn't think we could do it because of the wind.

PP: What do you enjoy most about living in the Palisades?

CL: The main reason I moved here was to get into acting. I've lived in the Highlands for three and a half years and before that l lived up Bienveneda. I like it because it's very low-key and community-oriented. It's close to L.A. and yet the Palisades is its own little world. Also, there are so many famous people here that I'm just a face in the crowd.

PP: Can you name a few things you like to do for fun?

CL: I like to spend time with my family. I like to go talk to kids at schools. I actually do that quite a lot. I don't go out to movies that much, although I will watch them at home. I like to eat at several restaurants in the village.

PP: What do you to stay in shape these days?

CL: Funny you should mention that. I'm participating in the Nautica Triathlon at Zuma Beach with my sister Carol and [Carl Lewis Family Fitness Run/Walk Event Coordinator] Kym Begel. Carol is swimming, I'm doing the bike portion and Kym is running.

(Editor's note: The trio finished eighth overall in the Co-Ed Celebrity division at the Nautica Triathlon on September 17, completing the half-mile swim, 18-mile bike ride and four-mile run in 1 hour, 55 minutes and 21 seconds. Carol Lewis and Kym Begel (formerly Carter) are also ex-Olympians. Carol competed in the long jump at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and Begel was a heptathlete at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain.)

PP: What words of wisdom can you pass on to youth in our society?

CL: Make your life relevant. Be somebody, do something meaningful. Stand up for what you believe in and don't be afraid to let people see who you are.

To register for the Carl Lewis Family Fitness 5K Run/Walk online, log on to www.w2promo.com or call 310-828-4123. For more information about the Carl Lewis Foundation, visit the Web site at www.carllewis.com.