Steve Lewis (sprinter)
Encyclopedia
Steven Earl Lewis (born May 16, 1969) is a former American track and field athlete, winner of three gold medals at the 1988 Summer Olympics
and 1992 Summer Olympics
.
Born in Los Angeles, California
, Steve Lewis took up track at Sutter Middle School and later went to Banning High School. He transferred to American High School
in Fremont, California
following his sophomore year, where he graduated in 1987. While at American he competed in track and field and still holds the Mission Valley Athletic League
record in the 400 meters. He won the CIF California State Meet
in 1986 and 1987. He would go on to attend UCLA. As a freshman at UCLA, Lewis had a spectacular year in 1988, when the precocious 19-year-old not only completely rewrote the world junior all-time list in the 400 m, but also proved his mettle in senior competition, by winning the Olympic gold medal.
Lewis had not been a total unknown prior to 1988, having set a personal best of 45.76 at the 1987 USA national junior championships, but he caught many unawares when he won his quarter-final at the USA Olympic Trials with new world junior record of 44.61, and then slashed this time the following day, when he won his semi-final in 44.11. Despite this performance, Lewis could only finish third in the final in 44.37, having been well beaten by his older compatriots, Butch Reynolds
and Danny Everett
.
In the Olympic Games at Seoul
, Reynolds was the clear favourite to win the gold medal, and few people took Lewis' chances seriously, but in the Olympic final Lewis set a fast pace in the early stages while Reynolds held back. Although Reynolds closed near the finish, Lewis held on to win in 43.87, still the United States, North American
and World junior record. Steve won a second gold medal three days later, as a member of the victorious USA 4x400 m relay
team which equalled the world record
of 2:56.16.
By the end of 1988, Lewis had run what still rank as the top 9 junior 400 metre races of all time.
In 1990, he won NCAA
Championships in the 400 m and went on to win the US Track and Field Championships in the same event.
In 1992, Lewis, once again, competed at the Olympic Games in Barcelona
and won a silver medal in the 400 m and a gold medal in the 4x400 m relay, which broke the world record (2:55.74), that Lewis had previously helped set in the 1988 Olympic Games.
The rest of Lewis' career was affected by injury and an ongoing viral illness, and he never again competed at a major international championships.
Lewis was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame in 2004.
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
and 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
.
Born in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Steve Lewis took up track at Sutter Middle School and later went to Banning High School. He transferred to American High School
American High School (Fremont, California)
American High School is a public secondary school located in Fremont, California. It is one of five public high schools within the Fremont Unified School District. The school receives its students through the American High School attendance area boundary set by the district...
in Fremont, California
Fremont, California
Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California. It was incorporated on January 23, 1956, from the merger of five smaller communities: Centerville, Niles, Irvington, Mission San Jose, and Warm Springs...
following his sophomore year, where he graduated in 1987. While at American he competed in track and field and still holds the Mission Valley Athletic League
Mission Valley Athletic League
The Mission Valley Athletic League is a collaboration of 7 schools in the Tri-Cities area of Fremont, Newark and Union City, California. The MVAL is part of the Bay Shore Conference in the North Coast Section ....
record in the 400 meters. He won the CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
in 1986 and 1987. He would go on to attend UCLA. As a freshman at UCLA, Lewis had a spectacular year in 1988, when the precocious 19-year-old not only completely rewrote the world junior all-time list in the 400 m, but also proved his mettle in senior competition, by winning the Olympic gold medal.
Lewis had not been a total unknown prior to 1988, having set a personal best of 45.76 at the 1987 USA national junior championships, but he caught many unawares when he won his quarter-final at the USA Olympic Trials with new world junior record of 44.61, and then slashed this time the following day, when he won his semi-final in 44.11. Despite this performance, Lewis could only finish third in the final in 44.37, having been well beaten by his older compatriots, Butch Reynolds
Butch Reynolds
Harry "Butch" Reynolds is an American former track and field athlete who competed in the 400 meter dash. He held the world record for the event for eleven years with his personal best time of 43.29 seconds set in 1988. That year he was the silver medalist at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and a...
and Danny Everett
Danny Everett
Daniel Joseph Everett is a 400 metre runner from the United States. As a 21-year-old he participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal in the individual event and a gold medal with the United States 4x400 m relay...
.
In the Olympic Games at Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Reynolds was the clear favourite to win the gold medal, and few people took Lewis' chances seriously, but in the Olympic final Lewis set a fast pace in the early stages while Reynolds held back. Although Reynolds closed near the finish, Lewis held on to win in 43.87, still the United States, North American
North, Central American and Caribbean Junior records in athletics
North, Central American and Caribbean Junior records in athletics are the best marks set in an event by an athlete who has not yet reached their 20th birthday in the given year of competition, competing for a member nation of the North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association...
and World junior record. Steve won a second gold medal three days later, as a member of the victorious USA 4x400 m relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
team which equalled the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
of 2:56.16.
By the end of 1988, Lewis had run what still rank as the top 9 junior 400 metre races of all time.
In 1990, he won NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Championships in the 400 m and went on to win the US Track and Field Championships in the same event.
In 1992, Lewis, once again, competed at the Olympic Games in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
and won a silver medal in the 400 m and a gold medal in the 4x400 m relay, which broke the world record (2:55.74), that Lewis had previously helped set in the 1988 Olympic Games.
The rest of Lewis' career was affected by injury and an ongoing viral illness, and he never again competed at a major international championships.
Lewis was inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame in 2004.