30 Olympic athletes who dominated their events

10. Carl Lewis

Before he became infamous for cranking out one of the worst renditions of the National Anthem ever sung in public, Carl Lewis became famous for being one of the most decorated track and field athletes of all time. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Lewis’ parents ran a local athletics club, which allowed him to develop an interest in personal fitness from a very early age. By the time he was a teenager, Lewis was already tabbed as a promising member of the next generation of American track stars, particularly in the long jump competition.

Originally scheduled to make his Olympic debut in the 1980 Moscow Summer Games, Lewis was forced to wait another four years because of the U.S. boycott. When he did finally get his chance in 1984, this time on home soil in Los Angeles, the talented 23-year-old did not disappoint. Lewis won gold medals in the 100 meter, 200 meter, 4 x 100 meter relay, and long jump categories. His achievement of winning four gold medals in one Olympics equaled Jesse Owens’ historic performance at the 1936 Summer Games.

Lewis was still far from finished, though. He went on to win three more medals at the 1988 Seoul Games (two gold, one bronze), two at the 1992 Barcelona Games (both gold), and one final medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games (gold). His final tally of 10 medals, nine of which are gold, make him one of the most dominant Olympic athletes ever to compete.

Next: 9. Nikolai Andrianov