When Carl Lewis, a legendary figure in athletics, speaks, the world listens. Having retired in 1997 at 36 with an astounding nine Olympic and eight World Championship gold medals in track and field, Lewis recently visited Delhi as the international brand ambassador for the 20th Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. In a candid and comprehensive discussion on Friday, he openly shared his insights on a wide array of topics, from doping controversies to advancements in sports science.
Now 64 and coaching at his alma mater, the University of Houston, Lewis firmly asserted that truly exceptional athletes are not bound by the era in which they compete. He also expressed a strong conviction that the allure of social media has unfortunately shifted the focus of younger athletes from genuine performance to mere self-presentation.
“I would have relished the opportunity to compete against athletes from various generations – legends like Jesse Owens, Bob Hayes, Tommy Smith, and John Carlos, even Steve Williams. And honestly, I believe I’d hold my own against today’s generation,” Lewis stated confidently. “The truly great athletes, those who dominate their own era, would undoubtedly dominate any era. I would have loved to race Jesse Owens, just for the experience, but only to say I did – because he was exceptional. Do you really think he wouldn’t excel now?”
He continued, reflecting on his own career: “My focus was always on entertaining the crowd on the track, but that never once compromised my core performance. Today, however, many young athletes seem to prioritize presentation over genuine achievement. It’s become more about how they portray themselves and seeking acceptance, rather than dedicating themselves to performance and earning respect through their efforts.”
Having personally faced and been exonerated from doping allegations, Lewis strongly advocates for continuous, lifelong testing in sports. “I believe the rising statistics of positive tests indicate improved testing methods. We absolutely must continue to enhance and expand our testing programs,” he argued. “The vast majority of athletes compete fairly and do things correctly. But until there’s a genuine fear of consequences stretching indefinitely, we won’t fully curb doping. They now test for many years after an event, which is a good step.”
He further elaborated, “I believe testing should be constant. Every Olympics, they should retroactively test for past Olympics, forever if necessary. And if an athlete is caught 20 years down the line, that’s perfectly acceptable. There should be significant financial penalties, and perhaps even the termination of their career achievements. Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the individual.”
When questioned about the evolution of athletics, Lewis acknowledged improvements in several areas over the years, such as diet, nutrition, and the use of video analysis for training. However, he voiced concern that the fundamental mechanics of running itself have deteriorated. “Every day, when I browse the internet, I encounter numerous individuals – perhaps 10 to 15 – promoting their running techniques,” he observed, “and I’d estimate that at least 95% of what they demonstrate is fundamentally incorrect.”
Offering guidance to today’s aspiring athletes, Lewis shared two pieces of wisdom: “First, and I often repeat this, if life were easy, everyone would master it. Second, I used to forgo parties; now, I host them.” He clarified the latter: “This means you’ll need to make significant sacrifices to achieve your aspirations, but with the understanding that these efforts will yield immense benefits 10, even 20 years down the line. Focus beyond immediate rewards and keep your eye on the ultimate goal.”