Carl Lewis Net Worth

How much is Carl Lewis Worth?

in Richest AthletesOlympians
Carl Lewis Net Worth:
$16 Million

Carl Lewis Net Worth: Carl Lewis is a former American track and field athlete who has a net worth of $16 million. He is best known for dominating track and field athletics in the eighties and nineties, and he won nine Olympic gold medals and ten World Championship medals.

Early Life: Carl Lewis was born on July 1st, 1961 in Birmingham, Alabama. His mother was a hurdler on the 1951 Pan Am team. His parents started the Willingboro Track Club in 1969, which was instrumental in the development of him and his siblings' as athletes. His father coached girls track at John F. Kennedy High School in Willingboro and was named New Jersey Track Coach of the Year in 1979. His father was his track coach until he was thirteen and began training under coaches Andy Dudek and Paul Minore at Willingboro High School. At that age, he was only competing in the long jump. He was scouted by his pick of large universities and chose to enroll at the University of Houston where he trained under Coach Tom Tellez. Only days after graduating, he broke his high school long jump record with a 26 ft 8 in leap, and at the time he was ranked fifth in the world. Prior to beginning at the University of Houston, he had a flare up of an old knee injury that threatened his sports career, but he worked with Coach Tellez to adjust his technique and was able to continue performing without pain. Once he had his knee issue managed, he went on to win the 1980 NCAA championship with a wind-assisted long jump of 27ft 4 ½ in. Although his primary event was the long jump, he was also becoming skilled as a sprinter during this time. He qualified for the American team for the 1980 Olympics but did not go due to the US boycott. He instead attended the Liberty Bell Classic, which was held for nations boycotting the Olympics, and he won a bronze medal in the long jump and a gold with the American team in the 4 X 100 m relay. He received a special Congressional Gold Medal, which was created for athletes precluded from competing in that year's Olympics. At the conclusion of 1980, he was ranked as the sixth in the world in the long jump and seventh in the 100 m sprint.

Amateur Athletics Career: Despite still being a teenager, he broke his personal best at the 1981 Track and Field Outdoor Championships jumping 28 ft 3 ¼ in. He claimed the title of fastest 100 m sprinter in the world at the Southwest Conference Championships with a time of 10 seconds. He finished the year by winning national titles in both the long jump and 100 m sprint, and he received the James E. Sullivan Award, which is given to the top amateur US athlete. His time for the 100 m sprint was the third fastest recorded in history. He maintained this high level of achievement throughout 1982, and in 1983, he competed in the first International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) sanctioned World Championships. He won a gold medal in both the long jump and the 100 m sprint, and he was ranked no. 1 in both categories by the end of the year. He was named Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News magazine for the second time in a row. He had the opportunity to compete in four events at the 1984 Olympics being held in Los Angeles. He won four gold medals for the USA team. The track events drew a large crowd because of the energetic public speculation about whether Lewis would break Bob Beaumon's 29 ft 2 ¼ inch world record held for longest jump. Lewis declined to attempt to break the record, which disappointed fans.

Despite his incredible successes at the Olympics, Lewis was met with fewer sponsorship and endorsement offers than he had anticipated to receive. He was criticized by other athletes for lacking humility, and he was criticized by spectators for not trying to break Beaumon's long jump record. There was widespread speculation that he was gay, and although other athletes at the Olympics considered that a nonissue, the suggestion decreased his marketability. Prior to the Olympics, he had been offered an endorsement deal with Coca-Cola, but believing that he would be worth more after the Olympics, Lewis had declined it. After the Olympics, Coca-Cola rescinded the offer. Nike also dropped him from his sponsorship deal. By the end of the year, Lewis was ranked as the top long jumper in the world, and he had been named Athlete of the Year by Track and Field Magazine for the third time in a row. Although he had never played football or basketball, Lewis was drafted by the Chicago Bulls and the Dallas Cowboys. He didn't go on to play in either league.

At the 1987 World Championships he faced more difficult challengers, and although he beat the world record in the 100 m, his opponent, Ben Johnson, had set a new world record. Lewis speculated to the media that drugs were involved, and in the 1988 Olympics, he was proved to be correct. He competed against Johnson again in the 100 m, and Johnson won. However, days later he failed a drug test, and the gold medal went to Lewis. At the 1991 World Championships, Lewis set a new world record for the 100 m sprint. His record would hold for three years.

Personal Life and Retirement: After being plagued by injuries and slowed due to age, Lewis retired from track and field in 1997. He has served as the track coach for the University of Houston since 2018.

Carl Lewis Net Worth

Carl Lewis

Net Worth:$16 Million
Date of Birth:Jul 1, 1961 (59 years old)
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Profession:Track and field athlete, Actor
Nationality:United States of America
Last Updated:2021
Did we make a mistake?
Submit a correction suggestion and help us fix it!
Submit a Correction