[FOX 26] Carl Lewis Thrilled for Bolt, Own Role in Olympic History

Lewis Plans Major Track Event for Houston

HOUSTON -- Carl Lewis, who has won more Olympic gold medals than anyone with the exception of swimmer Michael Phelps, is happy for Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter who won gold medals in Beijing in the 100 and 200 meters.

It's the first time anyone has won both events in the same Olympics since Lewis did it in 1984 and it's only the ninth time it's happened in the history of the Olympic Games.

"It's great," said Lewis in an interview with FOX 26 Sports from Beijing. "Here we are, this is my third Olympics (since retiring) and people are trying to do things that I set.

"Just like I tried to do things that Jesse Owens set."

Lewis admits he is surprised it has taken 24 years for a sprinter to match his feat of winning both the 100 and 200 meters at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

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Lewis admits he is surprised it has taken 24 years for a sprinter to match his feat of winning both the 100 and 200 meters at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

"It makes me proud that I can look back on my career now and have even more pride that I did it, because as you know when you are competing you are not thinking about the historical context, and as we know history always defines whether you are great or whether you or not.

"For me, fortunately it's actually elevated me in the new millennium and we're not forgotten."

In sports home run records can be broken just like touchdown records in football. In track no one can beat what Carl Lewis did in 1984 in winning the 100 and 200, only match.

Lewis said he really hadn't thought of his accomplishments in that fashion prior to this interview.

"That kind of changes the scope of it," Lewis said. "No matter what happens. When I'm 80 years old people will still be trying to emulate that and it's a great thing.

"The Olympics for me were the ultimate. The fact that I can stay a part of history is something that's great."

Lewis, who is working in Beijing on behalf of Nike and McDonald's, is also brought to light because of Phelps success in swimming. Phelps won eight gold medals in China and now has 14 for his career. He is the only athlete with more gold medals than Lewis who won nine. Only two others, including Mark Spitz, have won as many.

"To be honest it's a great thing," Lewis said. "Swimming is an amazing sport and I think Michael Phelps is an amazing athlete and a great kid too.

"It just seems that every Olympics, when I thought that my things would fade and I would just go into the background, my name keeps popping back up and I appreciate that."

What still hasn't happened in the Olympic Games since 1984 is for one athlete to match Lewis' four gold medals, the two sprints, a relay, and the long jump. Jesse Owens did it first in 1936, then came Lewis 48 years later.

"I was such a huge fan of Jesse Owens," Lewis said. "I met him as a kid and he inspired me, not just athletically but historically, and everything that I did he inspired me.

"My job was to emulate him. If people can say I want to do what Carl did, the same way I felt about Jesse Owens, then it's a huge honor."

Lewis said the challenge awaiting Bolt is that he will be expected to repeat his success time and again.

"The biggest thing now he has to deal with is the pressure of expectations," Lewis said. "If he can handle that part of it, then he can be very good."

Meanwhile Lewis is planning to bring a major professional track event to his adopted hometown of Houston.

"We have been talking to the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations)," said Lewis. "I have a great relationship with the President of the IAAF (Lamine Diack) about the future of the sport and what I think I see as well as other businessmen coming in.

"I know there's some great people in the community that have supported track and field and I know people like that in the business community could support a big time professional event in the city of Houston and that's one of my ultimate goals. No matter what, Houston is my home. That's where I spent most of my life. That's where I grew up and I want to bring that back there."

Lewis said the event would be part of a series of meets that creates a league within the sport.

"Kind of like a tennis circuit and do that around the world," Lewis said. "And work with the athletes so that you are putting on an event that people want to come see."