Steve Lewis (sprinter)

Steve Lewis (actually: Steven Earl Lewis, born May 16, 1969 in Los Angeles, California ) is a former American track and field athlete and Olympic champion.

Career

Lewis was not entirely unknown before 1988. As early as 1987, at the national junior championships in the 400 -meter run, he reached a personal best of 45.76 seconds. In the U.S. elimination fights he won the quarter-finals in 44.61 seconds, setting a junior world record. In the semifinals, he improved this result again in 44.11 seconds. In the final he could not reach his previous time, but qualified third behind Harry Reynolds and Danny Everett.

At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul Reynolds was the clear favorite to win a gold medal in the 400 m, and few expected a real chance for Lewis. But in the final beat Lewis and Everett very early at a fast pace. Reynolds fell back initially, but could pass on the home straight to Everett and catch up with Lewis, but not overtake him. Lewis won with a time of 43.87 seconds, which another junior world record meant. Silver went to Reynolds and bronze at Everett. A few days later, he won his second gold medal with the team in the 4 x 400 - meter relay along with Everett, Kevin Robinzine and Reynolds with the world record time of 2:56,16 minutes before the teams from Jamaica ( silver) and Germany (bronze).

In 1990, Lewis the NCAA Championships over 400 meters as well as the U.S. Championships. At the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992, he took up again and won the silver medal, behind compatriot Quincy Watts and before the Kenyans Samson Kitur. In the 4 x 400 - meter relay team, he won again the team gold medal, this time with Andrew Valmont Watts and Michael Johnson, before the teams from Cuba and the United Kingdom.

The rest of his career was hampered by injuries and a persistent viral infection. He never again took part in international championships.